CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Live Music Industry

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to support the live music industry.

John Penrose: The Government are supporting the live music industry through delivering their commitment to free live performances from unnecessary red tape.
	We are supporting the Live Music Bill which I hope, with the continued support of the Benches opposite, will successfully complete its remaining stages in the new year.
	In addition, I am starting to consider responses to our consultation on proposals for wider deregulation of music and other cultural activities from the requirements of the Licensing Act 2003.

Secondary Ticketing Market

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the regulation of the secondary ticketing market.

Jeremy Hunt: On 28 November I met the hon. Member and my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mike Weatherley) with a delegation from the cultural industries and sport. I made clear at that meeting my view that industry solutions, particularly technical ones, should be exhausted before looking at regulatory ones.

Broadband: Mobile Phones

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects to meet his target to extend (a) mobile telephone coverage to 99 per cent. of the population and (b) superfast broadband to 90 per cent. of homes.

Edward Vaizey: It is expected that both targets will be met by 2015.

Local Broadcasting: Television

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he next expects to make an announcement on provision of local television in Wales.

Edward Vaizey: The Government's response to the consultations on the Framework for Local TV consultation and Pioneer Locations was published on 13 December 2011. This includes details of the first locations that Ofcom expects to invite applications for local TV licences and confirms the legislative proposals.
	It is expected that Cardiff and Swansea will be licensed in the first tranche, followed by Bangor and Mold subsequently.

Olympic Games 2012: National Lottery

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the extra lottery funding that will become available for good causes after the London 2012 Olympics; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: After the transfers to the Olympics have been taken into account, income for the good causes in the current financial year is estimated to be £1,349 million, based on our most recent September projections. Income in the 2013-14 financial year, when the Olympic transfers will have finished, is estimated to be £1,749 million.

Olympic Games 2012: Plastic Bags

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether the organisers of the London 2012 Olympics have any plans to discourage usage of plastic carrier bags at the Games.

Hugh Robertson: The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) will not be providing single-use or short-life disposable plastic bags to customers in its shops. High-quality recyclable bags will be provided, but only on request, when they will be promoted as being reusable for multiple occasions. LOCOG is identifying the most sustainable solution and will announce this in due course.
	LOCOG's sponsors and suppliers will be required to adhere to the London 2012 Sustainable Sourcing Code as they develop their plans for any packaging, including bags where appropriate.

Sports: Facilities

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to prevent the closure of community sports facilities as a result of reductions in local authority funding.

Hugh Robertson: Sport England is investing £135 million of lottery funding through the ‘Places, People, Play’ programme, the majority of which will be invested in facilities to deliver a tangible sporting legacy. It has also developed a range of support tools, including an online toolkit for national governing bodies, local authorities and sports clubs to use the opportunity of community asset transfer to take control of sports facilities on a sustainable basis.
	In addition, the Localism Bill includes provisions to give community groups a great opportunity to bid to take over assets listed as Asset of Community Value, if they are made available for sale.

Television Licenses (Northern Ireland)

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will consider offering two licences in Northern Ireland at the initial stage as part of his plans for local television.

Edward Vaizey: On 13 December 2011, the Government published details of the first locations that Ofcom expects to invite applications for local TV licences.
	These are subject to further consultation; however it is expected that Belfast will be in the first tranche and Derry/Londonderry and Limavady subsequently.

HEALTH

Heart Diseases: Screening

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with healthcare commissioners on the potential inclusion of pulse checks in NHS health checks for the purposes of achieving early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation;
	(2)  what consideration he has given to the inclusion of pulse checks as a compulsory part of NHS health checks for the purposes of achieving early diagnosis of atrial fibrillation.

Simon Burns: The UK National Screening Committee provides advice on population screening issues and it currently recommends against a population based approach to early detection of atrial fibrillation, such as the inclusion of a pulse check in the NHS Health Check. There have been no discussions with commissioners about the inclusion of pulse checks in the NHS Health Check.

HIV Infection: Screening

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guideline on increasing the uptake of HIV testing to reduce undiagnosed infection and prevent transmission among men who have sex with men, how many primary care trusts have developed a local strategy to increase the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men in England;
	(2)  how many of the primary care trusts with a diagnosed HIV prevalence in their local population exceeding two in 1,000 offer HIV testing to all men and women registering in general practice and general medical admissions in England;
	(3)  with reference to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guideline on increasing the uptake of HIV testing to reduce undiagnosed infection and prevent transmission among black African communities living in England, how many primary care trusts developed a local strategy to increase the uptake of HIV testing among black Africans in their area.

Anne Milton: The Department does not collect information on local HIV testing services and strategies. It is the responsibility of local primary care trusts to ensure that sexual health services, including HIV prevention and testing, meet the particular needs of their local population taking into account HIV prevalence and other health priorities. We are aware that in some areas of high HIV prevalence (including Brighton, Leicester and London) commissioners and practitioners have already introduced wider HIV testing programmes to reduce undiagnosed HIV.

Mental Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has any plans to extend the service provided by the 24-hour Combat Stress Support Helpline.

Simon Burns: The Department committed £200,000 to run a one-year pilot of the 24-hour helpline. The Department plans to carry out an evaluation of this pilot, and, based on the outcome, to make a decision regarding the future of the service.

Mental Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) veterans and (b) veterans' families have accessed the 24-hour Combat Stress Support Helpline since it came into operation.

Simon Burns: The 24-hour helpline for veterans launched in March 2011. Since then, the service has received over 3,600 calls, from 1,397 different individuals. 477 of these calls have been from families and carers of veterans. The service does not record the ‘other' callers to the helpline (i.e. those who are neither veterans nor families of veterans).

NHS Trusts

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what process (a) local authorities and (b) hon. Members can seek to initiate a reconfiguration of NHS trusts; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The reconfiguration of health services should be a locally led process, with plans developed in partnership between commissioners, providers, local authorities and the public. The aim of reconfiguration is to improve the quality of services for patients. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has been clear that reconfigurations should have the support of general practitioner commissioners, a clear clinical evidence base, support for patient choice, and effective patient and public engagement.
	It is the responsibility of commissioners to plan and secure the provision of the great majority of health services that their population needs. Therefore, if local authorities or hon. Members believe there is evidence that the current configuration of services in their locality could be improved to deliver better patient outcomes within available resources, they should approach the relevant local national health service commissioner.

NHS: ICT

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with the Computer Sciences Corporation on extending its contract.

Simon Burns: A series of discussions have been held with the Computer Sciences Corporation relating to the existing contract. Discussions have been based upon a number of options relating to alternative contractual approaches to secure value for the taxpayer.
	As the contractual discussions have not concluded, specific details cannot be provided at this time.

Social Services: Finance

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of users of adult social care services are not self-funding in each local authority area.

Paul Burstow: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Telehealth

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the likely take-up of telehealth schemes;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with private companies on funding of telehealth schemes.

Paul Burstow: The Department's modelling suggests that at least 3 million people with long-term conditions could benefit from telehealth leading to a potential efficiency gain of around £1.2 billion over the next five years.
	The Department has been discussing with industry about new models of delivery but it will be for the national health service to commission services locally.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Policy Announcements

Alun Michael: To ask the Leader of the House what steps he is taking in respect of the announcement of major policy initiatives by Ministers.

David Heath: The House debated this issue during the Backbench Business debate on 5 December 2011 and rejected the proposal tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone), and others.
	As my right hon. Friend the Leader of the House of Commons said during that debate, Ministers are very mindful of the requirement in the Ministerial Code that:
	“when Parliament is in session the most important announcements of Government policy should be made, in the first instance, to Parliament.”
	My right hon. Friend and I do not hesitate to remind colleagues of that requirement.

Private Members' Bills

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward proposals for a supplementary ballot for additional private Members' Bills in any future parliamentary Session which lasts for longer than one year.

George Young: Following the current one-off adjustment to spring-to-spring Sessions, the Government does not envisage any future Sessions of a similar length. The Government nevertheless believes that the current single ballot would operate satisfactorily in the event of a future, extended Session.

Queen's Speech

John Spellar: To ask the Leader of the House on what date the Queen's Speech will be held in the next Session of Parliament.

George Young: The date of the Queen's Speech will be announced in the usual way.

Times of Sitting

Claire Perry: To ask the Leader of the House what recent assessment he has made of the House's sitting hours.

George Young: I have noted with interest the consultation on sitting hours produced by the Procedure Committee. I look forward to giving oral evidence to that Committee during its inquiry.

WALES

Food Procurement

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on food purchased through its food and catering services in the last 12 month period for which information is available.

David Jones: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 8 March 2011, Official Report, column 909W, to the hon. Member for Glasgow North East (Mr Bain).

Driving Under Influence: Rehabilitation

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions her Department has had with the (a) Welsh Government and (b) Driving Standards Agency on (i) the provision of drink drive rehabilitation courses in Wales and (ii) ensuring a consistent approach to such courses in each constituent part of the UK.

David Jones: The Department has regular discussions within Whitehall and with the Welsh Government about a range of matters relevant to Wales.
	Under amendments introduced to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 by provisions in the Road Safety Act 2006, responsibility for drink drive rehabilitation training in Wales will lie with Welsh Ministers. The Driving Standards Agency will continue to liaise with the Welsh Government on the future operation of drink drive rehabilitation training in Wales.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Public Expenditure

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expenditure his Department has incurred in (a) Birmingham, (b) Newcastle, (c) Wakefield, (d) Manchester, (e) Leeds, (f) Liverpool, (g) Coventry, (h) Bristol, (i) Sheffield, (j) Bradford, (k) Leicester and (l) Nottingham in the last fiscal year for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	More detailed benefit expenditure tables including outturn data for all local authorities can be found here:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd4/index.php?page=expenditure
	
		
			  Local authority Benefit expenditure 2010-11 (£ million) 
			 (a) Birmingham 2,587.9 
			 (b) Newcastle upon Tyne 681.1 
			 (c) Wakefield 817.6 
			 (d) Manchester 1,170.2 
			 (e) Leeds 1,649.2 
			 (f) Liverpool 1,418.4 
			 (g) Coventry 767.2 
			 (h) Bristol 946.2 
			 (i) Sheffield 1,267.1 
			 (j) Bradford 1,127.1 
			 (k) Leicester 705.5 
			 (l) Nottingham 703.8 
			 Note: Figures rounded to nearest hundred thousand. Source: DWP Statistical and Accounting data, and local authority subsidy returns

Employment and Support Allowance: Drugs

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeals have been made by employment and support allowance recipients receiving residential treatment for drug or alcohol misuse who were not classified as limited capability for work without the requirement to attend a face-to-face assessment in 2011; and how many of those appeals were determined in favour of the appellant.

Chris Grayling: The specific information requested is not available.
	The Department does not hold centrally collated information on employment and support allowance (ESA) claimants receiving residential treatment for drug or alcohol misuse. However, for claims starting between October 2008 and August 2010 (the latest period for which there is sufficient data for publication) where the primary condition recorded relates to drug or alcohol misuse, 9,300 were assessed by the Department as fit for work and have had an appeal heard to date. Of these, 38% were found in favour of the appellant meaning their entitlement to ESA was reinstated.
	Entitlement to ESA is based on functional capabilities, not on an individual's condition. The medical condition recorded on a claim form does not in itself confer entitlement to ESA. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a person claiming employment and support allowance on the basis of alcoholism would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities assessed by the work capability assessment, or on the effects of any associated mental health problems. It is also important to note that, where someone has more than one diagnosis or disabling condition, only the predominant one is currently recorded.
	The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance and the work capability assessment. The latest report was published in October 2011 and can be found on the internet at the link below. Information relating to appeals for the ESA case load as a whole can be found in Table 3.
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca
	The data presented above come from benefit claims data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data from the Tribunals Service. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100, or 1%.
	Information on drug and alcohol misuse has been calculated using the International Classification of Diseases categories, “Mental and behavioural disorders due to multiple drug use and use of other psychoactive substances” and “Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol”.
	Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to and heard by HM Courts and Tribunals Service, it is likely there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. The number of appeals is therefore likely to change as more up to date information becomes available.

Employment and Support Allowance: Public Finance

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of reassessing those on contributory employment and support allowance in the work-related activity group to see if they qualify for the support group at the end of the 12 month time limit.

Chris Grayling: I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave the right hon. Member for Oxford East (Mr Smith) on 1 December 2011, Official Report, column 1112W.

Employment: Young People

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Youth Contract on the level of employment.

Chris Grayling: The Youth Contract will provide nearly half a million new opportunities for young people, including job subsidies, apprenticeships and work experience placements.
	Job subsidy programmes have an impact on the labour market, for example, OECD research from 2005 found that private sector subsidised employment programmes frequently have a positive impact on employment(1). However, the full impact of this package of measures on the level of employment will depend on decisions on the detail of provision which are not yet finalised. The Department is currently developing an evaluation strategy for the Youth Contract.
	(1 )OECD (2005), “Labour Market Programmes and Activation Strategies: Evaluating the Impacts”, OECD Employment Outlook, p. 173-208.

Independent Living Fund

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to make an announcement on the arrangements for the consultation for changes to the Independent Living Fund.

Maria Miller: In a written statement on 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 8WS, I announced that the Government would consult on future support arrangements for ILF users in spring 2012, alongside the publication of the planned White Paper on the future of care and support in England.

London Underground: Industrial Health and Safety

Stephen Mosley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many underground inspections were undertaken by Health and Safety Executive personnel at each active mine in England in 2010.

Chris Grayling: There were 128 underground inspections/investigations made at active producing mines in England in 2010. This figure does not include visits where only surface structures and equipment were inspected/investigated. A detailed breakdown of the statistics is as follows.
	
		
			 Number of underground inspections at active producing mines in England in 2010 
			 Site name Total 
			 Barrow 3 
			 Birkshead 1 
			 Boulby 18 
			 Brightling 2 
			 Daw Mill 16 
			 Elm Park 1 
			 Eckington 5 
			 Fauld 2 
			 Hartham Park 2 
			 Hatfield 6 
			 Hayroyds 4 
			 Honister 1 
			 Jordans 1 
			 Kellingley 15 
			 Linda Barrow 1 
			 Maltby 12 
			 Marblaegis 5 
			 South Crafty 4 
			 Stoke Hill 1 
			 Thoresby 11 
		
	
	
		
			 Welbeck 6 
			 Westwood 1 
			 Winsford 10 
			 Total 128

Social Security Benefits: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent estimate he has made of the number of people in the London borough of Bexley in receipt of out-of-work benefits as a result of (a) alcohol and (b) drug dependency.

Chris Grayling: Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the most damaging root causes of poverty, and helping people who are trapped on benefits through drug and alcohol addiction so that they can recover and find employment is a top priority for the Government.
	A breakdown by medical condition is only available for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance (IB/SDA) and employment and support allowance (ESA), and is shown in the following table. Medical condition is not available for the other out-of-work benefits: jobseeker's allowance (JSA) and income support (IS).
	
		
			 Total number of incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and employment and support allowance claimants with drug abuse and alcoholism as a main disabling condition—Bexley local authority, May 2011 
			 Bexley IB/SDA ESA 
			 Alcoholism 60 50 
			 Drug abuse 50 10 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Employment and support allowance (ESA) replaced incapacity benefit and income support paid on the grounds of incapacity for new claims from 27 October 2008. 3. To qualify for incapacity benefit (IB), claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work called a personal capability assessment. Under the employment support allowance regime, new claimants have to undergo the work capability assessment. From April 2011 incapacity benefit recipients will begin also to undertake this assessment. The medical condition recorded on the claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefit or employment support allowance. So, for example, a decision on entitlement for a customer claiming IB or ESA on the basis of mental and behavioural disorders would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities assessed by the personal/work capability assessment. 4. Data include those entitled to national insurance credits only. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100%.

Work Programme

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how the effectiveness of the Work programme will be measured; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: Individuals stay on the Work programme for two years, so we expect to see substantial indications of the effectiveness of the programme from spring 2013. A full independent evaluation has been commissioned for that year and I look forward to sharing the results with the House in due course. We will closely monitor the operation of the programme in the interim.

Work Programme: Employment

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people over the age of 50 years have found paid employment as a result of the Work programme.

Chris Grayling: The Department intends to publish official statistics on referrals to the Work programme from spring 2012 and on job outcomes from autumn 2012. This is in line with guidelines set by the UK Statistics Authority to ensure published statistics meet the required high quality standards.

CABINET OFFICE

Construction: Procurement

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost to the public purse was of use of the Official Journal of the European Union public procurement tendering process for UK construction projects in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the value was of the construction works procured.

Francis Maude: Information on the cost of individual procurements is not held centrally.
	The total value of Central Government funded construction projects during 2011-12 is approximately £10 billion.

Employment: Financial Services

Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people were employed in the financial services sector in (a) the South West, (b) the South East, (c) London, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) the East of England, (g) the North West, (h) Yorkshire and the Humber, (i) the North East, (j) Scotland, (k) Wales and (l) Northern Ireland on the latest date for which information is available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people are employed in the financial services sector in (a) the South West, (b) the South East, (c) London, (d) the West Midlands, (e) the East Midlands, (f) the East of England, (g) the North West, (h) Yorkshire and the Humber, (i) the North East, (j) Scotland, (k) Wales and (l) Northern Ireland at the latest date for which information is available. (87073)
	Table 1 contains the seasonally adjusted number of Workforce Jobs in SIC2007 Section K (financial and insurance activities) for Q3 2011 (September 2011), the latest date for which information is available. Section K includes financial service activities, insurance, reinsurance and pension funding (except compulsory social security), and activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities.
	Workforce Jobs is a quarterly measure of the number of jobs in the United Kingdom (UK) and is the preferred measure of the change in jobs by industry. It is a compound source that draws on a range of employer surveys, household surveys and administrative sources. WFJ is the sum of employee jobs (EJ) measured primarily by employer surveys, self-employment jobs (SEJ) from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), and government-supported trainees (GST) and Her Majesty's Forces (HMF) from administrative sources.
	
		
			 Table 1: Workforce Jobs, SIC 2007 Section K, seasonally adjusted 
			 Thousand 
			  Q3 2011 (1) 
			 North East 30 
			 North West 98 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 98 
			 East Midlands 43 
			 West Midlands 73 
			 East 83 
			 London 351 
			 South East 123 
			 South West 86 
			 Wales 27 
			 Scotland 93 
			 Northern Ireland 20 
			 UK(2) 1,124 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000. (2) Due to the effect of rounding the estimate for the UK does not equal the sum total of its constituent parts.

Government Departments: Internet

Julian Huppert: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the risks posed by malware downloaded onto people's computers via Adobe Reader on the basis of advice given on Government websites.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the new national cyber security strategy published on 25 November at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/cyber-security-strategy
	which has assessed the risks to UK Government, private sector and individuals from cyber threats including the threat from malware. The strategy outlines how individuals have an important role to play in keeping cyberspace as a safe place to do business and live their lives by taking steps to protect themselves online.
	Get Safe Online is a joint Government/industry initiative to raise awareness of internet security which we support. In November I launched the annual Get Safe Online Week which is an important means of alerting people to the latest online threats including malware and the importance of updating their anti-virus and anti-spyware as well as their operating systems.
	The majority of threats can be avoided by following some simple measures, and via Get Safe Online we will continue to work to raise awareness and to educate and empower people and firms to protect themselves online.

Ministers

Bill Esterson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of the potential for a reduction in the number of Government Ministers and advisers following the planned reduction in the size of the House of Commons.

Francis Maude: The Government are committed to keeping the number of Ministers under review.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Constituencies

Alun Michael: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when the proposals for new parliamentary constituencies in Wales will be published.

Mark Harper: The Boundary Commission for Wales determines the timing of the parliamentary boundary review in Wales and all the stages within it. It has announced that it plans to publish its initial proposals for the 2013 review of parliamentary constituencies in January 2012, and that it expects to complete the 2013 review within the deadline stipulated by Parliament.

TRANSPORT

Aviation: Working Hours

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she had on the European Aviation Safety Agency's notice of proposed amendments on flight time limitations.

Theresa Villiers: Officials from the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority attended a meeting of the European Aviation Safety Agency's (EASA) Advisory Group of National Authorities on 26 October at which the proposals were discussed.

Business: Administration

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to alleviate the administrative burden of the provisions of EU Council Regulation 1071/2009 for small and micro-businesses.

Michael Penning: The Department has adopted all flexibilities that the regulation allows to minimise any additional burdens on business. Existing businesses that were formerly outside the requirements of operator licensing, but are now required to comply with the requirements of the regulation, will be given appropriate time to do so.

Crossrail Line: Bexleyheath

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps she is taking to help maximise the benefits of Crossrail for Bexleyheath and Crayford residents.

Theresa Villiers: We are committed to delivering the agreed Crossrail scheme which will run to Abbey Wood. Rail passengers in Bexleyheath and Crayford will be able to access Crossrail services via Abbey Wood, from where fast connections into the City, the West End and beyond will be available, improving access to jobs, business and leisure facilities.
	The extra capacity that is created by Crossrail will also reduce congestion on many tube and rail lines including Southeastern services.

Official Photographs

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many official photographs have been taken of (a) Ministers and (b) senior officials in her Department for use in Government publications since May 2010; how many staff of her Department are expected to undertake photography of the Ministerial and senior leadership team as part of their duties; and if she will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The following table provides information on the number of official photographs that have been taken since May 2010, as well as the numbers of staff who perform this function as part of their duties in the column headed (c):
	
		
			  (a) Ministers (b) Senior staff (c) Number of staff 
			 Central Department 5 16 2 
			 Highways Agency 7 11 1 
			 Driving Standards Agency 0 0 0 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 0 0 0 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 0 0 0 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0 0 0 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 0 0 0 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 0 4 1

Highways Agency

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to her Department's Structural Reform Monthly Implementation Plan, what progress has been made on work to review the Highways Agency.

Michael Penning: The review, undertaken by Alan Cook, the non-executive chairman of the Highways Agency, was published on 24 November 2011. A copy of the report can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/strategic-roads-network

Intercity Express Programme

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment her Department has made of the business case for the Intercity Express programme fleet to be deployed on the (a) Great Western Main Line and (b) East Coast Main Line.

Theresa Villiers: Business cases for large projects are periodically refreshed—for example, to reflect the latest economic forecasts.
	Business case updates were prepared for deployment of the IEP fleet on both the Great Western and East Coast Main Lines in November 2011.
	The economic case for the Intercity Express Programme remains strong, with a combined (ECML and GWML together) benefit:cost ratio of 2.3:1.

Railway Stations: Worcester

Harriett Baldwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions she has had with Network Rail on the creation of a Worcester Parkway station.

Theresa Villiers: We have had no recent discussions with Network Rail about the creation of a Worcester Parkway station. It is for the promoter, Worcestershire county council, to lead on discussions with the rail industry on this project.

Rescue Services: Liverpool

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the potential effects on public safety of the closure of Liverpool coastguard station.

Michael Penning: No individual assessment specific to the closure of Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre has been made of the potential effects on public safety.
	The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has assessed on a national basis the safety risks in relation to HM Coastguard's current operation and how these are mitigated by the new structure announced on 22 November 2011. The MCA has also assessed the impact of the new structure on HM Coastguards capability to deliver its national service.
	These assessments, as well as a location impact assessment, coastguard centre rationale and supporting tables showing factors taken into consideration in the choice of coastguard centres can be found on the MCA's website:
	www.dft.gov.uk/mca

Rescue Services: Wales

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment she has made of the adequacy of search and rescue services based in England which cover South Wales.

Michael Penning: We are confident that search and rescue helicopter services in South West England will continue to provide comprehensive cover in South Wales, as they do at present.

Shipping

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the total number of new training roles for UK seafarers that will be created from the approved core training commitments submitted by company groups that have entered the tonnage tax scheme for 2011-12.

Michael Penning: Approved core training commitments for the 2011-12 training commitment year are for around 600 new first year officer trainees. Company groups are additionally required to provide second and third year training for trainees taken on during the previous two years when they were in the tonnage tax, so the cumulative training commitment for 2011-12 is for around 1,800 officer trainees.

Shipping: Flags

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vessels are owned by each company group that qualified for inclusion in the tonnage tax in 2011-12; and under which flag each such vessel sails.

Michael Penning: The vessels operated by a tonnage tax company or group may be owned, leased or chartered-in. I am unable to give a breakdown of the vessels operated by company group, as this information is tax confidential. However, the anticipated total number of vessels for all companies entered in the tonnage tax as at 1 October 2011 was 883. Of these, 425 were UK flagged, 105 were under other EEA flags, and 353 were under non-EEA flags.

Shipping: Flags

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which flags are flown by ships owned by company groups that qualified for inclusion in the tonnage tax in 2011-12.

Michael Penning: The ships which company groups anticipated would be included in the tonnage tax at the beginning of the 2011-12 training commitment year were under the following flags: United Kingdom, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Finland, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Isle of Man, Italy, Liberia, Malta, the Marshall Islands, the Netherlands, Norway, Panama, St Vincent and the Grenadines and Singapore.

Underground Railways: Tyne and Wear

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the oral statement of the then Secretary of State for Transport of 26 October 2010, Official Report, column 178, on transport (investment), whether the £4 million funding to accelerate the upgrade of the Tyne and Wear Metro announced in section A.26 of the Autumn Statement 2011 is additional to the £350 million investment announced in the oral statement.

Norman Baker: The Autumn Statement announcement related to funding brought forward to 2011-12 and reflected the good progress which Nexus is making in delivering its renewal programme. This is part of the Department for Transport's existing contribution towards the asset renewal programme and is not additional.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Tax

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average percentage change in the level of council tax benefit for (a) working families and (b) single people in work as a result of the localisation of council tax benefit in each local authority area; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 14 December 2011
	An impact assessment will be published alongside the legislation providing for the localisation of council tax support in England. The actual average impact in each local authority area will depend on how local authorities design their schemes.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many mortgages supported by the Government's new build indemnity scheme he expects to be additional mortgages; and how many such mortgages he estimates would have been issued in any case.

Grant Shapps: The Government will support up to 100,000 mortgages at up to 95% loan to value through the new build indemnity scheme. As 95% loan to value mortgages for new build are currently available only for properties on a few sites, we expect nearly all mortgages under the scheme to be additional to such mortgages which would have been granted in any case.

Senior Civil Servants: Pay

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the (a) salary and (b) other costs associated with each Director General in his Department (i) were in 2010-11 and (ii) are expected to be (A) between April and December 2011, (B) between January and March 2012 and (C) in 2012-13; whether he expects any change in salary or other costs from January 2012 in consequence of the appointment of the permanent secretary in his Department to hold the post of Head of the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 15 December 2011
	I do not expect any change in salary or costs for any DCLG director-general as a result of the appointment of Sir Bob Kerslake as Head of the Civil Service. Information on remuneration for board level officials, including director-generals, is published in my Department's annual report and accounts. The information published for director-generals in the 2010-11 annual report and accounts is reproduced in the following table, using the same categories (of salary, bonus payments and benefit-in-kind), together with the equivalent information for April to December 2011 and forecast information for the remaining periods. As bonus payments depend on annual performance as assessed following the end of the performance year, it is not currently possible to forecast whether any of the individuals will receive a bonus payment. All amounts in the table reflect only payments made by DCLG.
	
		
			  2010-11 April to December 2011 
			  Salary (£000) Bonus payments  (£00 0) Benefits-in- kind Salary (£000) Bonus payments  (£00 0) Benefits-in- kind 
			 Richard McCarthy(1) 175-179 10-14 — 105-109 10-14 — 
			 Irene Lucas(2) 150-154 5-9 — n/a n/a n/a 
			 Joe Montgomery(3) 125-129 5-9 — n/a n/a n/a 
			 David Prout 130-134 5-9 — 95-99 — — 
			 David Rossington(4) 120-124 10-14 — 40-44 10-14 — 
			 Shirley Pointer(5) 105-109 5-9 — n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sue Higgins(6) n/a n/a n/a 55-59 (8)— — 
			 Louise Casey(7) n/a n/a n/a 20-24 (8)— — 
		
	
	
		
			  January to March 2012 (forecast) 2012-13 (forecast) 
			  Salary (£000) Bonus payments  (£00 0) Benefits-in- kind Salary (£000) Bonus payments  (£00 0) Benefits-in- kind 
			 Richard McCarthy(1) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Irene Lucas(2) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Joe Montgomery(3) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 David Prout 30-34 (8)— — 130-134 (9)— — 
			 David Rossington(4) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Shirley Pointer(5) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
		
	
	
		
			 Sue Higgins(6) 30-34 (8)— — 135-139 (9)— — 
			 Louise Casey(7) 30-34 (8)— — 130-134 (9)— — 
			 (1) The figure quoted for Richard McCarthy for ‘April to December 2011' is for the period 1 April to 10 November 2011, when Mr McCarthy left the Department. The full year equivalent is in the range £175,000-£179,999. The Department is currently recruiting a replacement Director-General, advertised on the basis of a salary of circa £140,000. (2) The figure quoted for Irene Lucas for ‘2010-11' includes temporary responsibility allowance for a period where Ms Lucas was acting permanent secretary. The full year director general salary is in the range £145,000-£149,999. (3) The figure quoted for Joe Montgomery for ‘2010-11' is for the period 1 April 2010 to 31 January 2011, when Mr Montgomery left the Department. The full year equivalent is in the range £150,000-£154,999. (4) The figure quoted for David Rossington for ‘April to December 2011’ is for the period 1 April to 31 July 2011, during which period Mr Rossington was acting director-general, finance and corporate services. The full year equivalent is in the range £130,000-£134,999. (5) The figure quoted for Shirley Pointer for ‘2010-11’ is for the period 1 April 2010 to 3 January 2011, during which period Ms Pointer was acting director-general, HR and business change. The full year equivalent is in the range £135,000-£139,999. (6) The figure quoted for Sue Higgins for ‘April to December 2011' is for the period 1 August (when Ms Higgins joined DCLG) to 31 December 2011. The full year equivalent is in the range £135,000-£139,999. (7) The figure quoted for Louise Casey for ‘April to December 2011' is for the period 1 November (when Ms Casey joined DCLG) to 31 December 2011. The full year equivalent is in the range £130,000-£134,999. (8) None due. (9) Unknown.

TREASURY

Air Passenger Duty

Henry Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the 70 respondents to the Government's consultation on the reform of air passenger duty who commented on class of travel called for seats with less than 40 inches of seat pitch to be liable at the reduced rate.

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many of the 70 respondents to the Government's consultation on the reform of air passenger duty who commented on class of travel called for seats with 40 inch seat pitch and less to be liable for the reduced rate;
	(2)  how many of the 140 respondents to the Government's consultation on the reform of air passenger duty who commented on the banding structure supported (a) the retention of a four band structure, (b) a three band structure and (c) a two band structure;
	(3)  how many of the 70 respondents to the Government's consultation on the reform of air passenger duty who commented on class of travel called for (a) premium economy passengers to be liable for the reduced rate and (b) premium economy passengers to remain liable for standard rate.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given on 13 December 2011, Official Report, column 683W, to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr Donohoe).

Air Passenger Duty

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of his Department's consultation on the reform of air passenger duty; and how many working hours were spent on the consultation by civil service staff.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 532W, to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr Donohoe).

Air Passenger Duty

Mike Freer: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date UK airlines were informed of the new air passenger duty rates applicable from 1 April 2012.

Chloe Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 533W, to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr Donohoe).

Bell Pottinger Group

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) political advisers in his Department have met representatives of (i) Bell Pottinger Group or (ii) each of its subsidiaries in the last five years; on what dates any such meetings took place; and what was discussed.

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) he, (b) his officials and (c) his political advisers have met representatives of (i) Bell Pottinger Group and (ii) clients of Bell Pottinger Group on the recommendation of that Group since May 2010; on what dates any such meetings took place; and what was discussed.

Chloe Smith: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.
	A list of ministerial meetings with external stakeholders is published quarterly on the HM Treasury website:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/minister_hospitality.htm

Capital Gains Tax

Owen Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of individuals who will incur a net loss as a result of the freezing of the Capital Gains Tax annual exempt amount announced in the Autumn Statement.

Mark Hoban: Freezing the annual exempt amount (AEA) in 2012-13 will affect all individuals with a Capital Gains Tax (CGT) liability in that year. The number of individuals liable to CGT in 2009-10, the latest year for which figures are available, is estimated at 148,000 and is published at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/capital_gains/table14-1.xls
	An additional 12,000 taxpayers each year could become liable to CGT over the next five years, as a result of the freeze. However, some individuals will arrange their disposals to keep the gains below the AEA and will therefore have nothing to pay.

Commodity Markets

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the proposed review of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive in relation to commodity derivatives markets.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 6 December 2011
	The Government strongly supports the European Commission's review of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) and the objectives to strengthen the Single Market in financial services, to ensure resilient and sound financial markets.
	In the MiFID review, the Government supports the principle of strong regulatory oversight powers on commodities markets through the application of a position management regime based on strong supervision and market monitoring, and through measures designed to increase transaction reporting requirements and improve trading transparency. While it is important to keep the scope of exemptions for specialist commodity trading firms under review, the Government does not believe there is currently a strong case for a significant change in the boundaries of MiFID for these firms.
	We will be working closely with the European Commission and other EU member states as negotiations proceed to ensure that commodity derivative markets provide robust and consistent price discovery mechanisms for the underlying commodities, and are sufficiently liquid to enable participants to hedge and manage their risks.

Departmental Manpower

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which employers are working with his Department to collect real time income data in support of the universal credit.

David Gauke: HMRC is working with a group of employers and software developers to pilot Real Time Information (RTI) in 2012-13. The employers involved in the RTI Pilot are volunteers and have been chosen to be a representative group of organisations operating PAYE. They range in size and complexity from those with one employee to very large complex employers with many employees or pensioners. Those participating include local government, banks, payroll bureaux and agents, retail and manufacturing, farmers, universities, colleges and schools, charities, hotels, film companies, software developers, pension providers and services companies.
	HMRC expects all employers and pension providers to be using RTI by October 2013 and appropriate data will be made available to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to support the administration of universal credit.

Departmental Secondment

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what secondments there have been to his Department from (a) industry and (b) the third sector since May 2010; what the (i) purpose and (ii) duration is of each secondment; and whether each secondment was to a policy development role.

Chloe Smith: Since 1 August 2010 there have been 41 secondments into HM Treasury from industry. There have been no secondments from the third sector. Appointments have varied in length between two months and two years, with a median of seven months. Secondees into the organisation are used in a variety of roles where internal knowledge is scarce or where specialist skills are required.

Financial Services: Manpower

Hazel Blears: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed in the financial services sector in (a) the North West and (b) the UK in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008, (v) 2009 and (vi) 2010.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated December 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question concerning how many people were employed in the financial services sector in (a) the North West and (b) the UK in (i) 2005, (ii) 2006, (iii) 2007, (iv) 2008, (v) 2009 and (vi) 2010. (87075)
	The following table contains the seasonally adjusted number of Workforce Jobs in Standard Industrial Classification 2007 (SIC2007) Section K (financial and insurance activities) for the North West and UK for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Section K includes financial service activities, insurance, reinsurance and pension funding (except compulsory social security), and activities auxiliary to financial services and insurance activities.
	Workforce Jobs (WFJ) is a quarterly measure of the number of jobs in the United Kingdom (UK) and is the preferred measure of the change in jobs by industry. It is a compound source that draws on a range of employer surveys, household surveys and administrative sources. WFJ is the sum of employee jobs (EJ) measured primarily by employer surveys, self-employment jobs (SEJ) from the Labour Force Survey (LFS), and government-supported trainees (GST) and Her Majesty's Forces (HMF) from administrative sources.
	
		
			 Workforce Jobs (1, 2) . SIC 2007 section K. Seasonally adjusted 
			 Thousand 
			  North West UK 
			 2005 108 1,158 
			 2006 106 1,148 
			 2007 110 1,169 
			 2008 111 1,189 
			 2009 114 1,180 
			 2010 94 1,125 
			 (1) Annual figures relate to June quarter (Q2). (2) Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand.

Income tax: Females

Claire Perry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 October 2011, Official Report, column 130W, on income tax: females, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of taking the (a) 59 per cent. in April 2011 and (b) 56 per cent. in April 2012 of people out of taxation who are women.

David Gauke: Personal allowances for those aged under 65 have increased by £1,000 in 2011-12 to £7,475 and will increase by a further £630 in 2012-13 to £8,105.
	The estimated cost of these measures published at Budget 2011 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ million 
			  2011-12 measure 2012-13 measure 
			 2011-12 -3,340 0 
			 2012-13 -3,580 -1,050 
			 2013-14 -3,620 -1,210 
			 2014-15 -3,710 -1,200 
			 2015-16 -3,820 -1,230 
		
	
	It is estimated that around 1.2% of total exchequer costs of the 2011-12 personal allowance increase were associated with those females taken out of tax as a result of the measure in 2011-12. A comparable figure for the 2012-13 personal allowance increase is 0.3% in 2012-13.
	These estimates are Budget 2011 estimates based on the 2007-08 Survey of Personal Incomes, projected using economic assumptions consistent with the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2011 economic and fiscal outlook.

Money Advice Service

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  if he will place a copy of the Money Advice Service draft business plan for 2012-13 in the Library;
	(2)  how much has been spent on legal advice on staff restructuring by the Money Advice Service in the last 12 months;
	(3)  how much has been spent on (a) bonus payments and (b) foreign travel for senior management by the Money Advice Service in the most recent financial year;
	(4)  how many people have started a Money Advice Service financial health check since they were introduced; and how many have been completed;
	(5)  what assessment he has made of changes in the level of provision of financial education outreach services through schools, further education colleges, higher education institutions and workplaces by the Money Advice Service in the last 12 months;
	(6)  how many (a) face-to-face meetings and (b) responses to telephone enquiries he expects the Money Advice Service will deliver in each of the next three financial years;
	(7)  how much of Money Advice Service's budget has been spent on (a) advertising, (b) public relations and (c) marketing in the last year; and how much it plans to spend on such activities next year;
	(8)  whether the Money Advice Service is a public body under the Freedom of Information Act provisions.

Mark Hoban: The Money Advice Service is an independent body, funded by a levy on the financial services industry. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for approving its Business Plan and Budget. The Money Advice Service will publish its Business Plan and Budget for 2012-13 in March 2012.
	I have asked the Money Advice Service to respond to the detailed points you have raised in writing. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
	The Government are committed to the principle of open Government. They want to make it easy for people to find out information that is relevant to them, to aid accountability and increase public understanding of decisions which affect them. The Freedom of Information Act does not currently apply to the Money Advice Service. The Government are however seeking to extend coverage of the Act to further bodies under section 5 of the Act, and will keep the position of the Money Advice Service under review.

Ofgem: Fines

Caroline Flint: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue his Department has collected as a result of fines imposed by Ofgem in each of the last 10 years.

Chloe Smith: The following fines/penalties have been collected by Ofgem over the past 10 years and paid into the Consolidated Fund:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2001-02 — 
			 2002-03 2,000,000 
			 2003-04 400,000 
			 2004-05 1,900,000 
			 2005-06 — 
			 2006-07 — 
			 2007-08 25,000 
			 2008-09 1,800,000 
			 2009-10 2,000,000 
			 2010-11 15,810,000 
			 2011-12 (to 12 December 2011) 10,000,000 
		
	
	In addition, Ofgem has announced two further fines in 2011-12 totalling £4,500,000 (of which £2,500,000 is proposed and £2,000,000 awaiting collection).

Personal Pensions

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what dates (a) he, (b) other Ministers in his Department and (c) senior officials in his Department have met representatives of (i) the British Bankers Association and (ii) the Association of British Insurers to discuss the charges, commission or fees paid by people with a private pension since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have discussions with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Rebates: Fraud

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of payments for tax refunds being fraudulently redirected as a result of websites that impersonate Government websites in the last three financial years.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs do not have an estimate of the cost of tax refund payments being fraudulently redirected as a result of websites that impersonate Government websites.

Taxation: Switzerland

Owen Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he expects the UK-Switzerland taxation agreement announced on 24 August 2011 to be implemented.

Mark Hoban: The Government’s aim is for the agreement between the UK and Switzerland on co-operation in tax matters to come into force on 1 January 2013. This allows for the time needed to complete parliamentary procedures in both countries.

Union of Good: USA

Robert Halfon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communication he has had with the US Treasury on the activities of the Union of Good; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will raise at the UN the issue of electoral irregularities during the recent elections in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Henry Bellingham: I have been asked to reply.
	The British Government raised our concerns about reports of irregularities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) elections when the Head of the UN Peacekeeping Mission to DRC (MONUSCO) briefed the Security Council on 2 December. Following this meeting the UN Security Council issued a statement welcoming the good turnout of voters in the elections, but expressing concern at the reports of logistical problems during the election process. Following the release of the full provisional election results, on 12 December MONUSCO released a further statement urging the electoral commission to address the irregularities identified by observer groups.
	We will continue to work with international partners to urge the DRC authorities to investigate and address all irregularities.

EU External Trade: Cocoa

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what contribution his Department plans to make to the development of a new European standard for sustainable and traceable cocoa; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that the standard meets the demands of smallholder cocoa producers in developing countries and acts as a driver to improve their social and economic development.

Alan Duncan: The new European standard for sustainable and traceable cocoa is being developed by the standards body for the industry itself. This body is independent.
	The Department for International Development has not engaged in any consultation with the British Standards Institute. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs have also confirmed that they have not engaged in any consultation.

Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of total (a) commitments and (b) payments to the Global Fund for (i) HIV/AIDS, (ii) malaria and (iii) tuberculosis have been made by the UK in each of the last five years.

Alan Duncan: UK pledges (commitments) and contributions (payments) to the fund over the past five years are as follows:
	
		
			 UK's share of total pledges and contributions to the Global Fund for 2007-11 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 UK pledge 187,202,000 78,520,000 184,071,300 199,680,000 199,680,000 
			 All pledges 2,532,763,541 2,920,108,597 3,121,074,520 3,296,886,375 2,840,838,958 
			 UK share (percentage) 7.39 2.69 5.89 6.05 7.02 
			       
			 UK contribution 187,202,000 78,520,000 184,071,300 308,341,640 434,126,769 
			 All contributions 2,534,998,752 2,920,108,597 2,949,139,270 2,783,321,164 1,813,644,669 
			 UK share (percentage) 7,38 2.69 6.24 11 23.9 
		
	
	Cumulative proportion of total pledges since inception:
	The UK has pledged a total of £1,409 million to the Global Fund. This is equivalent to USD $2,306,282,555 and constitutes nearly 8% of the total USD $29,047,815,412 pledged by all government donors to the fund.
	Cumulative proportion of total contributions:
	The UK contribution to date amounts to £997.1 million, equivalent to USD $1,665,201,387 and constitutes 8.4% of the total of USD $19,711,676,679 received in contributions to the fund.
	Donors do not earmark their contributions to any particular disease, country or activity. The cumulative proportion of actual grant expenditure between the three diseases, as of January 2011, is HIV 57%, Malaria 29%, TB 14%.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Farms: Regulation

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress her Department has made on reducing the administrative demands placed on farmers by environmental regulations.

James Paice: The Government have introduced the one-in, one-out rule, meaning that no new domestic legislation imposing costs on business can be introduced without the identification and removal of existing regulations with an equivalent value. Since January 2011, only two measures impacting the farming sector have been introduced. Both are of a deregulatory nature, with a net saving of approximately £730,000 per annum.
	In my written statement of 3 November 2011, Official  Report, columns 40-41WS, I announced the publication of the interim response to the independent Farm Regulation Task Force. We will publish a final response in early 2012.
	We also aim to reduce burdens placed on farmers by environmental regulations under the Red Tape Challenge Environment Theme, on which an announcement will be made in the spring, and the Water and Marine Theme, which will be launched in February.

Food: Illegal Imports

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding she has allocated to the “Don't bring me back campaign” (a) in 2011-12 and (b) in each of the next three years.

James Paice: To date, no funds have been allocated to the “Don't bring me back” campaign for 2011-12, in line with the Government's commitment to deliver communications at no or low cost. An indicative budget of no more than £25,000 may be drawn upon in the event that paid-for activity is required, but we will continue to make use of no cost channels as the first choice option.
	For the next three years, DEFRA will continue to prioritise no cost or low cost communications activity to raise awareness about illegal imports of products of animal origin, and anticipates a budget of less than £25,000 per annum on paid-for communication. The aim of the communication is to raise awareness and to reduce the risk of contaminated food being brought into the UK and putting people, animals and agriculture at risk of disease.
	DEFRA is also exploring with other Government Departments such as the UK Border Agency and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office the use of free/low cost communication media to continue to help raise travellers' awareness of the rules on personal imports of animal products.

Food Supply

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the prospects for UK food security at each extreme of population range projected by the Office for National Statistics for 2050.

James Paice: I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Members for Kilmarnock and Loudoun (Cathy Jamieson) and Totnes (Dr Wollaston) on 1 December 2011, Official Report, column 1053W.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business: Government Assistance

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what funding over £100,000 his Department's Finance and Commercial Directorate allocated to partner organisations in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: BIS's Finance and Commercial Directorate did not allocate any funding to partner organisations in either 2010-11 or 2011-12.
	Details of the amounts of grant in aid for each of BIS's partner organisations may be found in the notes pages to the 2010-11 and 2011-12 Main Estimates.

Export Credits Guarantees: Libya

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which projects have led to debt being owed by Libya to the Export Credits Guarantee Department since 1981.

Edward Davey: There are no outstanding amounts owed by Libya to ECGD.

Intellectual Property

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to implement the recommendations on exception in the Hargreaves Report on intellectual property.

Edward Davey: On 14 December, the Government launched their consultation on how to take forward the copyright recommendations of the Hargreaves Report, including the recommendation to modernise the UK's exceptions to copyright. The consultation will run until 21 March 2012 and the Government hope that all those with an interest in how we can best ensure that our copyright system is fit for the digital age will take the opportunity to respond to it.
	During 2012 the Government will continue to deliver the commitments set out in their response to the Hargreaves Review of Intellectual Property and Growth, and this will include a response to the consultation on copyright.
	The Government have separately announced, on 22 November, the appointment of Richard Hooper to lead a feasibility study into a Digital Copyright Exchange.

Scholarships

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the amount per student that the National Scholarship Programme will be worth in (a) 2012-13, (b) 2013-14 and (c) 2014-15.

John Hayes: The National Scholarship Programme is designed to benefit students whose family income is no greater than £25,000. Participating universities and colleges establish their own eligibility criteria, based on their own circumstances, to determine whom to help from among this broad group of people.
	All institutions that intend to charge more than the basic rate for tuition from 2012 are required to participate in the programme and contribute match funding. Universities are responsible for advertising their criteria and making the awards.
	In the first year, the Government will contribute £50 million towards the NSP. The Government's contribution rises to £100 million in 2013-14 and £150 million in 2014-15. The minimum level for an award in 2012/13 is set at £3,000 for each eligible full-time student. Part time students studying to a minimum intensity of 25% can receive a pro-rata award. Arrangements for future years have not been announced.
	Universities and colleges can use their match funding to either increase the number of awards available, or the value of an award.

Students: Loans

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the proportion of access to higher education student loans taken out in the academic year 2013-14 which will be repaid in full if the proposed changes to further education fee structures are implemented.

John Hayes: The Impact Assessment published alongside the New Challenges, New Chances consultation on further education (FE) loans included an assumption that 40% of the value of loans taken out will be repaid. This applies to all loans taken out from the academic year 2013/14 onwards, for all types of course. There is, however, no information available specifically for the subset of FE learners who are taking ‘Access to HE’ qualifications. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is carrying out further research and analysis to improve the accuracy of the simulation model used to calculate the figure above.
	The Impact Assessment can be found on the BIS website on the following link:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/further-education-skills/docs/f/11-1218-further-education-loans-impact-assessment

Tourism: Arts

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the consequences for inbound tourism to London of planned changes to the art market in 2012.

Edward Davey: On 1 January 2012, the Artist's Resale Right Directive 2001 will be fully implemented in the UK, when Resale Right is automatically extended to sales of in copyright works by qualifying deceased artists. On the same date, Statutory Instrument No. 2873 will come into force, correcting the requirements as to the nationality of those entitled to exercise Artist's Resale Right.
	No specific assessment of the effect of these changes on tourism has been made, however the total economic impact of the right once extended to deceased artists has been assessed at less than 0.15% of market turnover (around £12 million in royalties in a market worth £8 billion per year) and accordingly the extension is not considered likely to damage the market. The changes made by the Statutory Instrument on the other hand are actually estimated to reduce administrative costs for the art market by 10% to 20%.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Electronic Equipment: House of Commons

Simon Hart: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many iPads have been purchased for use by House of Commons staff; and what the cost of such purchases was in 2011.

John Thurso: Since 1 January 2011, 17 iPads have been purchased for use by staff of the House of Commons and 17 iPads have been purchased for the use of PICT staff. They are being used to explore how mobile computing might be used to support the work of Parliament, and what cost savings or environmental benefits might be gained. A similar pilot is taking place with hon. Members on the Administration Committee.
	The iPads were models iPad 1 and 2 with 3G and wi-fi connection. The total cost of the devices was £17,019.59.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Democratic Republic of Congo: Elections

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the conduct of the recent election in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Henry Bellingham: I was pleased that the observer missions reported that polling day in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) elections was largely peaceful with a good turnout of voters. I am also pleased that, following lobbying by the British Government and others, the DRC electoral commission published results from each polling station. However I remain concerned at the reports of irregularities throughout the process, and particularly during the compilation of results. We continue to urge the Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante to address all reported irregularities quickly and transparently. We also encourage anyone with evidence of wrongdoing to make it public so that an overall assessment of the election process can be made and lessons learned.

Food Labelling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible plan to implement calorie labelling on menus and display boards.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office are in discussion with our UK catering contractor, Compass, who are committed to the Responsibility Deal, to explore how and when we might introduce this initiative without an overall increase in costs.
	It would incur disproportionate cost to source this data from our network of posts and our public bodies as this information is held locally.

Food Labelling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the food and catering services in (a) his Department and (b) public bodies for which he is responsible are taking to ensure the countries of origin of foods are labelled on its menus and display boards.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office's UK catering contractor, Compass, provide this information to staff when requested within the UK.
	It would incur disproportionate cost to source this data from our network of 260 posts and our public bodies, as this information is held locally.

Departmental Civil Proceedings

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which organisations that have received funding from his Department have brought legal proceedings against his Department in the last five years; which such organisations were not successful in their actions; and whether his Department (a) applied and (b) was paid for costs in respect of such cases.

David Lidington: Our records show that the only organisation that has received funding from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) that has brought legal proceedings against the Foreign Secretary in the last five years is Reprieve. Reprieve receives a modest grant from the FCO to support work to prevent the execution of British nationals facing the death penalty overseas.
	In February 2010 Reprieve brought judicial review proceedings against the Foreign Secretary and other Government Ministers in connection with guidance to UK officials on their role and responsibilities in relation to the interviewing of detainees in foreign detention who may be subject to mistreatment. The proceedings were not successful. The Administrative Court refused Reprieve permission to bring the judicial review proceedings and ordered them to pay part of the Government's costs, amounting to £2,000. Reprieve has now paid this sum.

Risk Assessment

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what risk registers are held by the public bodies for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the Great Britain-China Centre and the Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission all hold single risk registers assessing the following categories of risk: strategic/corporate/reputational, financial, operations and projects and programmes. The British Council also has a risk register covering these issues. They also hold risk registers for each country, each sector, each business unit and customer management. Establishing how many registers they maintain globally would incur disproportionate cost.

Khaled al-Johani

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the government of Saudi Arabia on Khaled al-Johani.

Alistair Burt: We have not specifically raised Mr al-Johani's case with the Saudi Arabian Government. However, Ministers and officials do take every opportunity to raise with the Saudi authorities our full range of human rights concerns, including detention without trial. I did so most recently when I called on the National Society for Human Rights on 23 November, a Saudi human rights organisation with close links to the Saudi Arabian Government.

Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill 2010-12

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 56W, on Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill 2010-12, and with reference to his confirmation of the UK's commitment to the Ruggie principles, what assessment he has made of the letter sent by Professor Ruggie to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice, the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr Djanogly), on the effects of his proposed reforms in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill on the ability of impecunious people to secure representation and justice in cases (a) against businesses and (b) of human rights abuse.

Jeremy Browne: Following the UN Human Rights Council's endorsement in June of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, in which the UK played an important role, the Government are fully committed to implementing those principles as part of a wider strategy on business and human rights. We do not believe that the reform of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill is incompatible with this commitment. We believe that it will still be possible to bring claims against (a) multinational companies or (b) those allegedly guilty of human rights abuses once these reforms are implemented. However, reforms will help ensure that meritorious claims will be resolved at a more proportional cost; while unnecessary and avoidable claims will be deterred from progressing to court.

Libya: Terrorism

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made by the specialist unit in his Department in negotiations with the new Libyan government on compensation for victims of terrorism in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: A specialist unit was set up under the previous Administration in 2009. The remit of the officers in the dedicated FCO Unit has been to offer facilitation, logistical support and general advice to the campaign seeking compensation for the victims of IRA terrorism that was sponsored by Libya through the supply of Semtex. They have also accompanied representatives of the victims at meetings with the Libyan Government.
	Properly addressing legacy issues will be an important part of the UK's relationship with Libya. I raised this with the Libyan Transitional Government during my visit to Tripoli on 6-8 December. I made clear our desire to see progress on outstanding issues from the Gaddafi era. The newly appointed Foreign Minister Ashour Ben Khayyal agreed that we would take forward discussions on this.
	The campaigns seeking compensation for IRA victims are private. The terms of the campaigns and the range of victims are therefore also private. However, we understand at this stage that no settlement has been made.

Saudi Arabia: Counter-terrorism

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his Saudi Arabian counterparts on a proposed anti-terror law for Saudi Arabia.

Alistair Burt: We have been aware of the draft counter-terrorism law since Amnesty International reported on this matter in June and officials have raised concerns with the Saudi Arabian Government. There is widespread acceptance in the Saudi Government and Saudi human rights organisations that the draft anti-terror law is unsuitable in its present form: the current draft is extremely unlikely to pass into law.

Sergei Magnitsky

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates Mr William Browder visited his Department to discuss the case of Sergei Magnitsky; and which (a) Ministers and (b) officials he met on each such occasion.

David Lidington: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) I met Mr William Browder on 7 March 2011 to discuss the case of Sergei Magnitsky.
	(b) The Director Eastern Europe and Central Asia met Mr William Browder on 19 March 2009, 20 November 2009, 6 October 2010 and 13 December 2011 to discuss the case of Sergei Magnitsky.

Union of Good: USA

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the US government on the Union of Good; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Extradition: USA

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Attorney-General with reference to the contribution by the Minister of State for Immigration of 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 128, on UK extradition arrangements, whether any of the evidence against Babar Ahmad that is in the possession of the US authorities was gathered by (a) UK authorities and passed to the US and (b) US authorities on UK soil.

Damian Green: I am replying as the Minister with responsibility for mutual legal assistance as that is the mechanism by which evidence is transferred from one jurisdiction to another in a criminal case. It is our usual policy neither to confirm nor deny whether the UK authorities have provided evidence or other formal assistance in support of foreign criminal proceedings so as not to prejudice those proceedings; and therefore I cannot confirm or deny whether or not that took place in this case.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Nightclubs: Fees and Charges

Mark Menzies: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what representations she has received on the practice of charging differential fees to men and women for entry to nightclubs.

Lynne Featherstone: I have received no representations on the practice of charging men and women differential entry fees for entry to nightclubs.

DEFENCE

Aircraft Carriers

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the completion date for the two aircraft carriers that are currently under construction have changed; and what the causes of any such delay are.

Peter Luff: The currently approved planned in-service dates for HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales are quarter four of 2016 and quarter four of 2018 respectively.
	The completion dates for construction have not changed. However, the Strategic Defence and Security Review called for one operational Queen Elizabeth class carrier to be converted to support the more capable Carrier Variant of the Joint Strike Fighter and we are investigating the optimum solution to meet that requirement. On current plans, we expect to conclude work to enable firm decisions on the optimum conversion solution for the operational carrier in late 2012. Depending on the outcome of that work, the completion date for the construction of the carriers may change. Either way we will have an operational carrier from around 2020.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 30 November 2011, Official Report, column 977W, on armed forces: recruitment, what the cost per recruit was of medical assessments for potential pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: We do not hold records for the cost per recruit of medical assessments for potential pilots. All officer candidates undergo medical assessments, although there are additional tests for potential aircrew.

Armed Forces: Young People

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average expenditure per Army recruit was of recruiting and training to identical roles recruits who were aged (a) under 18 years and (b) 18 years or above in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The average cost of recruiting an Army recruit in financial year (FY) 2010-11 was £10,000; this covers the full recruitment process, including selection, and does not vary between those who are under or over 18 years of age.
	The following table provides the average expenditure for the full cost of providing Phase 1 training, including accommodation, meals, welfare, health and other support per Army recruit for FY 2010-11.
	
		
			  Duration of course  (weeks) Under 18 (£) Over 18 (£) 
			 Full cost of training per recruit at Army Technical Foundation College, Winchester 23 53,985 n/a 
			 Full cost of training per recruit at Army Foundation College, Harrogate 50 64,458 n/a 
			 Full cost of training per recruit at Army Training Centre, Pirbright 14 n/a 21,318 
			 Full cost of training per recruit at Army Training Regiment, Bassingbourn 14 n/a 26,992 
			 Full cost of training per recruit at Infantry Training Centre, Catterick (Phase 1) 14 n/a 26,543 
			 n/a = not applicable 
		
	
	The average unit rate varies depending on both the number of recruits being trained and the course duration at each training site.
	Information relating to the average expenditure per recruit for Phase 2 training is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. This is because Phase 2 (trade training) varies for each of the over 220 trades offered by the Army, both in terms of content and course length. However, as Phase 2 training is not age dependent, there would be no difference in any average training cost for a specific trade between those who are under or over the age of 18.

Defence Equipment

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Blaydon (Mr Anderson) of 21 October 2011, Official Report, column 1167W, on defence equipment, what the cost was of using Ministry of Defence-owned road vehicles to transport military kit in (a) 2006-07, (b) 2007-08, (c) 2008-09 and (d) 2009-10; on how many occasions Ministry of Defence-owned road vehicles were used to transport military kit in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

Peter Luff: The use of Ministry of Defence owned road vehicles to transport defence equipment is primarily undertaken at unit level. Journeys are not individually costed or recorded centrally and the requested information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Members: Correspondence

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter of 25 November 2011 from the hon. Member for Harrow West to the Minister for Defence Personnel, Welfare and Veterans; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: A reply was sent on 12 December 2011. The hon. Member's letter was received on 1 December 2011 and received a response within eight working days. The Ministry of Defence aims to answer correspondence from hon. Members within 15 working days.

Military Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of upgrading the two purchased F-35B variants to the standards required by the US Marine Corps after the completion of testing.

Peter Luff: The previous Government ordered three F-35B aircraft for test and evaluation purposes. One has been exchanged for a F-35C variant. The mission systems for the F-35B and F-35C are largely the same but, the UK is upgrading the Short Take Off and Vertical Landing Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) for its own purposes in order to conduct initial operational test of JSF alongside US Services. We have included sufficient funding within the original financial approval for these aircraft to ensure that they are upgraded to the appropriate standard for these tests. The US Marine Corps have no input to these decisions.

RAF Leuchars

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 8 November 2011, Official Report, column 234W, on RAF Leuchars, when he plans to place in the Library a copy of the sustainability appraisal.

Nick Harvey: A copy of the sustainability appraisal report was placed in the Library of the House on 13 December 2011.

RAF Leuchars

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what alterations will be required to RAF Leuchars to transform it to an operational Army base; what estimate he has made of the cost of any such alterations; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Work has begun to determine the precise capacity of the defence estate as we seek to maximise its use and rationalise where appropriate. Until this work is completed it is too early to say what alterations will be required to RAF Leuchars or how much this will cost.

EDUCATION

Schools: Manpower

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) teachers, (b) teaching assistants, (c) special educational needs (SEN) teachers and (d) SEN assistants were employed in each local authority in (i) May 2010 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The following table provides the headcount of teachers and teaching assistants in publicly funded schools in England broken down by local authority and region in November 2010, the latest information available. Those employed in local authority maintained special schools are separately identified.
	SEN teachers/assistants have been defined as those (a) working in special schools, (b) having a SEN co-ordinator role in other publicly funded schools or (c) having a learning support assistant for SEN pupils role in other publicly funded schools.
	
		
			 Number (headcount) of teachers (1) , teaching assistants, SEN co-ordinators and SEN assistants in publicly funded schools (including academies) in each local authority (2) . Year: November 2010. Coverage: Local authorities in England 
			  In all publicly funded schools of which in special schools Teachers who are SEN co-ordinators (except in special schools) In all publicly funded schools of which in special schools Teaching assistants who are learning support assistants (for SEN pupils) or SEN co-ordinators (except in special schools) 
			 England 493,430 16,840 2,140 341,170 30,550 33,400 
			        
			 Gateshead 1,920 90 20 870 100 80 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2,440 130 20 1,300 140 210 
			 North Tyneside 2,000 110 — 800 110 50 
			 South Tyneside 1,050 60 — 550 50 40 
			 Sunderland 2,800 110 — 1,820 230 70 
			 Hartlepool 940 30 — 800 80 30 
			 Middlesbrough 1,420 70 10 980 150 10 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1,400 60 10 970 150 60 
			 Stockton on Tees 1,810 70 — 1,170 110 30 
			 Durham 4,630 170 10 2,340 250 450 
			 Darlington 830 40 — 570 50 — 
			 Northumberland 3,840 80 — 1,930 160 20 
			 North East 25,100 1,000 70 14,120 1,590 1,040 
			        
			 Cumbria 4,480 80 30 2,340 170 280 
			 East Cheshire 3,380 50 — 1,990 80 — 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 3,130 130 — 1,690 240 — 
			 Halton 1,150 50 10 630 80 60 
			 Warrington 2,020 60 10 1,240 70 60 
			 Bolton 2,720 100 — 1,880 180 40 
		
	
	
		
			 Bury 1,640 60 — 1,330 90 480 
			 Manchester 4,270 200 10 2,740 380 40 
			 Oldham 2,270 90 — 1,800 150 10 
			 Rochdale 1,990 90 10 1,790 190 40 
			 Salford 1,430 20 — 160 — — 
			 Stockport 2,620 80 30 1,760 130 180 
			 Tameside 2,130 70 — 1,190 110 40 
			 Trafford 2,100 90 — 990 110 30 
			 Wigan 3,150 120 — 3,340 340 10 
			 Lancashire 10,850 390 — 9,610 850 20 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 1,580 60 — 1,420 110 900 
			 Blackpool 1,250 50 — 850 60 50 
			 Knowsley 1,410 100 — 1,080 120 50 
			 Liverpool 4,280 170 20 1,880 230 100 
			 St Helens 1,440 60 — 1,000 100 20 
			 Sefton 2,710 90 50 1,810 150 30 
			 Wirral 3,390 170 10 1,770 260 50 
			 North West 65,370 2,380 200 44,290 4,200 2,490 
			        
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 2,290 90 — 1,940 230 40 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 2,970 40 10 2,270 180 60 
			 North East Lincolnshire 1,440 40 20 1,170 160 50 
			 North Lincolnshire 1,430 40 10 1,170 130 10 
			 North Yorkshire 4,840 130 — 3,130 200 — 
			 York 1,450 30 — 780 90 10 
			 Barnsley 1,900 40 20 1,460 120 150 
			 Doncaster 2,850 80 10 3,610 190 1,320 
			 Rotherham 2,900 100 — 2,120 230 70 
			 Sheffield 4,610 180 — 3,040 290 30 
			 Bradford 5,560 120 20 4,390 380 310 
			 Calderdale 2,180 50 — 1,540 110 490 
			 Kirklees 4,090 120 — 2,560 190 20 
			 Leeds 6,860 160 — 5,180 280 60 
			 Wakefield 2,980 100 — 2,370 170 720 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 48,350 1,300 110 36,710 2,940 3,330 
			        
			 Derbyshire 6,770 140 50 4,730 270 310 
			 Derby 2,100 70 — 1,580 140 70 
			 Leicestershire 6,200 130 — 4,410 420 1,810 
			 Leicester 3,110 140 — 2,520 250 60 
			 Rutland 290 10 — 190 10 40 
			 Lincolnshire 6,140 270 20 4,800 500 90 
			 Northamptonshire 6,900 240 90 5,610 520 1,180 
			 Nottinghamshire 7,600 180 40 4,210 340 120 
			 Nottingham 2,590 70 20 1,770 130 30 
			 East Midlands 41,700 1,250 220 29,830 2,580 3,690 
			        
			 Herefordshire 1,460 50 20 1,120 110 60 
			 Worcestershire 5,340 210 — 4,410 390 10 
			 Shropshire 2,980 60 20 2,500 110 370 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1,420 70 — 1,360 110 10 
			 Staffordshire 7,840 310 — 4,870 520 110 
			 Stoke on Trent 2,150 70 — 1,430 110 190 
			 Warwickshire 5,100 200 30 3,430 340 40 
			 Birmingham 11,540 600 100 7,050 790 50 
			 Coventry 3,420 150 — 1,850 190 30 
		
	
	
		
			 Dudley 3,020 100 — 2,780 190 20 
			 Sandwell 3,260 60 10 2,490 160 340 
			 Solihull 2,410 90 — 1,450 140 20 
			 Walsall 2,740 100 10 2,040 160 120 
			 Wolverhampton 2,580 120 — 1,390 180 60 
			 West Midlands 55,230 2,190 190 38,150 3,490 1,420 
			        
			 Cambridgeshire 4,940 150 30 4,060 340 30 
			 Peterborough 1,760 60 10 1,570 120 90 
			 Norfolk 7,120 170 100 6,320 410 1,010 
			 Suffolk 7,000 170 10 4,810 330 640 
			 Bedford borough 1,780 50 10 1,100 120 80 
			 Central Bedfordshire 3,110 90 20 1,710 160 180 
			 Luton 2,100 50 10 1,850 150 120 
			 Essex 12,170 280 60 9,000 670 1,990 
			 Southend on Sea 1,960 80 — 1,200 150 260 
			 Thurrock 1,300 60 10 940 90 120 
			 Hertfordshire 12,930 440 70 7,170 600 840 
			 East of England 56,160 1,620 320 39,720 3,130 5,360 
			        
			 Camden 1,610 50 10 1,020 110 90 
			 City of London 20 — — 20 — — 
			 Hackney 1,920 60 10 1,210 80 180 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1,300 60 10 630 100 90 
			 Haringey 2,350 90 10 1,380 100 250 
			 Islington 1,600 60 10 1,050 110 20 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 790 20 — 540 40 80 
			 Lambeth 2,340 70 20 1,630 120 140 
			 Lewisham 2,050 110 10 1,450 90 100 
			 Newham 3,100 30 10 2,220 70 120 
			 Southwark 2,490 90 20 1,790 140 230 
			 Tower Hamlets 3,030 100 20 2,190 190 120 
			 Wandsworth 2,310 150 10 1,790 350 250 
			 Westminster 1,540 30 10 850 40 200 
			 Inner London 26,460 930 130 17,750 1,540 1,860 
			        
			 Barking and Dagenham 2,170 50 10 1,090 80 300 
			 Barnet 3,720 90 30 2,240 170 170 
			 Bexley 2,370 70 — 1,480 150 10 
			 Brent 2,850 90 20 1,490 150 270 
			 Bromley 2,930 100 10 1,950 170 350 
			 Croydon 3,440 110 20 2,260 180 180 
			 Ealing 2,950 110 20 1,610 240 220 
			 Enfield 3,420 100 30 2,140 140 270 
			 Greenwich 2,600 110 10 2,060 220 360 
			 Harrow 2,030 80 20 1,280 80 340 
			 Havering 2,390 50 10 1,680 100 220 
			 Hillingdon 2,890 110 10 1,950 180 300 
			 Hounslow 2,410 80 10 1,100 110 70 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1,590 50 10 850 100 80 
			 Merton 1,530 50 — 960 60 220 
			 Redbridge 3,190 140 30 1,690 190 430 
			 Richmond upon Thames 1,280 30 10 740 40 160 
			 Sutton 2,120 60 20 1,080 60 190 
			 Waltham Forest 2,430 170 10 1,470 230 240 
			 Outer London 48,300 1,630 270 29,110 2,650 4,380 
		
	
	
		
			        
			 London 74,750 2,560 410 46,860 4,190 6,240 
			        
			 Bracknell Forest 880 30 10 670 50 100 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 1,300 20 10 940 90 70 
			 West Berkshire 1,800 70 10 1,420 100 190 
			 Reading 1,270 40 10 930 90 60 
			 Slough 1,650 90 10 1,060 90 150 
			 Wokingham 1,620 60 10 1,280 90 260 
			 Buckinghamshire 5,570 200 30 3,260 340 820 
			 Milton Keynes 2,740 140 10 2,070 210 230 
			 East Sussex 4,200 190 10 3,310 290 170 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,200 140 — 1,590 210 70 
			 Hampshire 10,860 360 160 7,000 720 840 
			 Portsmouth 1,580 120 — 1,340 220 40 
			 Southampton 1,790 70 10 1,380 130 320 
			 Isle of Wight 1,220 40 — 1,020 130 200 
			 Kent 14,880 580 80 10,550 1,300 470 
			 Medway 2,540 100 30 1,820 170 160 
			 Oxfordshire 5,960 180 20 4,720 370 450 
			 Surrey 9,180 380 70 7,160 630 1,180 
			 West Sussex 7,380 250 20 4,760 350 540 
			 South East 78,620 3,080 480 56,270 5,560 6,290 
			        
			 Isles of Scilly 40 — — 30 — — 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1,770 70 10 1,090 130 120 
			 Bristol, City of 3,370 160 20 1,940 260 560 
			 North Somerset 1,840 40 — 1,130 80 350 
			 South Gloucestershire 2,620 60 10 1,430 90 60 
			 Cornwall 4,840 70 20 4,230 170 110 
			 Devon 6,620 160 10 5,220 340 380 
			 Plymouth 2,510 120 — 2,110 220 30 
			 Torbay 1,260 70 10 870 100 40 
			 Dorset 3,700 110 20 2,640 220 70 
			 Poole 1,160 50 — 810 100 30 
			 Bournemouth 1,300 50 — 860 100 10 
			 Gloucestershire 6,260 220 20 3,930 480 390 
			 Somerset 4,550 90 10 4,150 260 1,240 
			 Wiltshire 4,410 120 10 3,140 180 100 
			 Swindon 1,900 100 10 1,680 170 30 
			 South West 48,150 1,490 140 35,210 2,880 3,540 
			 (1) Includes qualified and unqualified teachers but excludes occasional teachers. (2) Figures are based on completed School Workforce Census returns. Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. ‘—’ = nil or negligible. 3. Totals may not appear equal to the sum of the component parts because of rounding. Source: School Workforce Census (November 2010)

PRIME MINISTER

Bell Pottinger

Tom Watson: To ask the Prime Minister whether his (a) Chief of Staff and (b) Director of Strategy has met representatives of (i) Bell Pottinger Group and (ii) clients of Bell Pottinger Group on the recommendation of that Group since May 2010; on what dates any such meetings took place; and what was discussed.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 November 2011, Official Report, column 234W, to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann).

EU Action

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what discussions he had with the Office of First and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland on the most recent European Council meeting;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of the outcome of the most recent European Council meeting.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 12 December 2011, Official Report, column 529, to the right hon. Member for Belfast North (Mr Dodds).

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Alun Michael: To ask the Prime Minister what the (a) name and (b) payscale is of each special adviser appointed since 14 October 2011.

David Cameron: An updated list of special advisers, and their pay bands, is published quarterly. This is available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy Performance Certificates

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of private rented sector accommodation units in energy performance certificate bands (a) E, (b) F and (c) G in the London borough of Brent.

Andrew Stunell: I have been asked to reply.
	The English Housing Survey does not enable an estimate to be made at local authority level. However, the survey does provide a national estimate of the numbers of privately rented accommodation in each energy performance certificate band. The national estimate is included in the latest published English Housing Survey Tables (Housing Stock Summary Statistics Table 7.1):
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1937429.xls

Carbon Sequestration

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he had with representatives of the carbon capture and storage industry before the announcement by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on carbon capture and storage funding in this Parliament.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 12 December 2011
	My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury has not made an announcement on CCS funding in this Parliament. My colleagues and I, at ministerial and official level, meet regularly with industry representatives to discuss CCS. This includes discussions about funding and we have been clear that £1 billion is available to support CCS projects.

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what support staff (a) he and (b) his special advisers employ other than the staff in his private office.

Gregory Barker: None.

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the (a) salary grade and (b) title is of each member of staff in his private office who is (A) a civil servant, (B) a special adviser and (C) another political appointee.

Gregory Barker: Please see following table showing details of staffing in the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change’s private office. All staff are civil servants and there are no other political appointees.
	
		
			 Grade Title Number 
			 Senior Civil Servant, PB1 Principal Private Secretary to Secretary of State 1 
			 Special Adviser, PB2 Special Adviser to Secretary of State 2 
			 Grade 6 Deputy Principal Private Secretary to Secretary of State 1 
			 Fast stream Private Secretary to Secretary of State 3 
			 HEO Diary Manager to Secretary of State 1 
			 Grade 7 Speech Writer to Secretary of State 1 
		
	
	Salary information is already published. Please see following links.
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/accesstoinform/about_decc/about_decc.aspx
	http://lis/decc/human-resources/handbook/pay-awards.html
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/special-adviser-data-releases

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff in his private office (a) previously worked for a political party and (b) are on secondment.

Gregory Barker: None.

Departmental Manpower

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff in the private office of the (a) Minister of State for Climate Change and (b) Minister of State for Energy are on secondment.

Gregory Barker: None.

Electricity Generation

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Ben Gummer), of 5 December 2011, Official Report, column 40W, on electricity generation, what estimate his Department has made of the costs of moving to a pooled system of retail energy sales; and what cost-benefit analysis he has undertaken of such a move;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on competition in the retail energy sector of moving to a pooled system of retail energy sales;
	(3)  what discussions his Department has had with small retail energy suppliers on the effect on their business model of moving to a pooled system of retail energy sales.

Charles Hendry: holding answer 14 December 2011
	The UK operated under a pool system prior to privatisation, thereafter we moved to a system of bilateral contracting (NETA), in common with most other European counties. However, a reversion to a pool system would be costly, disruptive and would take years to implement. As an illustration, estimated costs in 2004 of the transition from the pool to NETA were in the region of £700 million.
	There are alternative approaches to improving energy market competition. Ofgem, are leading work aimed at increasing market liquidity in order to ensure that small and independent suppliers and generators have fair access to the market. A pool would not necessarily solve the problems facing smaller market participants—in particular a pool would not in itself improve forward market liquidity.

Nuclear Power: Safety

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the costs to (a) his Department and (b) operators of civil nuclear installations resulting from the implementation of the recommendations in the report on implications for the UK nuclear industry of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami by HM Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations.

Charles Hendry: Nuclear safety is a top priority and as such any associated costs to the Department will be borne out of the overall departmental budget.
	The Government are not able to comment on any associated costs to the nuclear operating companies, as such costs are part of the overall and ongoing costs of ensuring the safe operation of nuclear facilities.

Renewable Energy: Wales

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had on renewable energy development in Wales.

Charles Hendry: The Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change has regular discussions with ministerial colleagues across the UK on renewable energy issues, including those in Wales.

Solar Power: Feed-in Tariffs

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his Department's most recent estimate is of the cost of extending the eligibility date for the reduction in tariff level for solar PV from 12 December 2011 to 31 March 2012.

Gregory Barker: The impact assessment published alongside the consultation on feed-in tariffs for solar PV estimated the range of costs to consumers with a reference date of 12 December 2011 (option 2) and a reference date of 1 April 2012 (option 3). Under the central scenario we estimated that the additional costs associated with a reference date of 1 April would be approximately £60 million per year (2011 prices, discounted) over the spending review period.
	We have undertaken an initial update of the estimates in the impact assessment to take account of higher than projected uptake in October 2011. Our preliminary update suggests that under the central scenario the additional costs associated with a 1 April reference date would be around £120-140 million per year (2011 prices, discounted) over the spending review period. These estimates should be treated as preliminary, as full updated estimates will be published in the final impact assessment supporting the Government's response to the consultation.

Warm Front Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households in (a) England, (b) each local authority area and (c) each parliamentary constituency received assistance under the Warm Front scheme (i) in each of the last 10 years, (ii) between July 2010 and December 2010 and (iii) since April 2011; and what the average level of grant provided under the scheme was in each such period.

Gregory Barker: This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Warm Front Scheme

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many households received assistance under the Warm Front scheme in England in each month of the last 10 years; and what the average level of grant provided under the scheme was in each such month.

Gregory Barker: I will be placing a copy of the information requested in the Libraries of the House.

Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000 since July 2010; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: I discuss fuel poverty issues with ministerial colleagues on a regular basis.

Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) officials in his Department have had with (i) HM Treasury and (ii) other ministerial colleagues on the operation of the Warm Homes and Energy Conservation Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Gregory Barker: holding answer 5 December 2011
	Ministerial colleagues, officials and I regularly meet with other Government Departments to discuss fuel poverty issues.

JUSTICE

Care Homes: Hampshire

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many care homes in (a) Hampshire and (b) Southampton have been subject to (i) successful and (ii) unsuccessful prosecutions in the last two years.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database holds information on offences provided by the statutes under which proceedings are brought but not all the circumstances of each case. It is not possible to identify from these centrally held data whether a care home was proceeded against or found guilty.

Chief Coroner: Public Appointments

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has contacted any potential candidates for the role of Chief Coroner.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice has not contacted any potential candidates for the role of Chief Coroner. Under Schedule 8 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 it is for the Lord Chief Justice to appoint the Chief Coroner, following consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice.

Civil Disorder

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which courts dealt with cases concerning persons suspected of criminal involvement during the public disorder of August 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: To date public disorder cases have been heard at 79 magistrates courts and 17 Crown courts, a list of which follows.
	Courts that have heard cases related to the public disorder from 6-9 August 2011, data as at 7 December 2011 .
	Magistrates courts
	Balham
	Banbury
	Barking
	Basildon
	Bexley
	Birmingham
	Brent
	Brighton
	Bristol
	Bristol Youth Court
	Bromley
	Bury St Edmunds
	Caernarfon
	Camberwell Green
	Cambridge
	Cardiff
	Cheltenham
	City of Westminster
	Colchester
	Coventry
	Crewe
	Croydon
	Ealing
	East Lancashire Magistrates (Blackburn)
	Enfield
	Feltham
	Greenwich
	Grimsby
	Halton
	Haringey
	Harlow
	Harwich
	Hatfield
	Havering
	Hemel Hempstead
	Hendon
	Hertford
	High Wycombe
	Highbury Corner
	Lancaster
	Leeds
	Liverpool Community Justice centre
	Liverpool
	Luton
	Macclesfield
	Maidenhead
	Maidstone
	Manchester City
	Medway
	Milton Keynes
	Nottingham
	Oxford
	Reading
	Redbridge
	Richmond
	Salford
	Slough
	Solihull
	South Western
	Southampton
	Southend
	St Albans
	Stevenage
	Stratford
	Stroud
	Sunderland
	Thames
	Tower Bridge
	Uxbridge
	Vale Royal
	Wakefield
	Walsall
	Waltham Forest
	Warley
	Welshpool
	West London
	Wimbledon
	Wolverhampton
	Wrexham
	Crown court
	Inner London CC
	Wood Green CC
	Manchester CC
	Birmingham CC
	Wolverhampton CC
	Nottingham CC
	Caernarfon CC
	Newcastle CC
	Preston CC
	Reading CC
	Chester CC
	Mold CC
	St Albans CC
	Coventry CC
	Colchester CC
	Great Grimsby CC
	Cardiff CC
	Note:
	This list has been compiled from manual returns from the courts as reported to Justice Statistics Analytical Service.

Civil Disorder

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the costs to the courts of processing cases concerning people involved in the public disorder of August 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: These cases have been mainly accommodated within the normal sittings of the magistrates and Crown courts with extra cost primarily attributed to the operating of some 24 hour courts in the first days of the disorder and having other courts on stand-by at the time of the public disorder. The most recent assessment of this marginal cost to Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service is £100,000.
	We are not able to assign an accurate cost to processing these cases as cases are still progressing through the courts and there are likely to be large differences in costs of individual cases in terms of numbers and lengths of hearings. For example there may be one where a guilty plea was entered and the offender sentenced at the first hearing in the magistrates court or a case that proceeds to trial before a jury in the Crown court.

County Courts

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he had expected to publish the Government's response to the consultation on solving disputes in the county courts; for what reasons publication of the Government's response has been delayed; and when he expects to publish the Government's response.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer given on 6 December 2011, Official Report, column 190W. The Government expect the consultation response to be published in the new year. The response was initially scheduled for publication in October but this was postponed due to ongoing discussions within Government.

County Courts

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which organisations his Department had discussions with on the consultation on solving disputes in the county courts (a) before and (b) after the consultation closed; and how many submissions to the consultation were received.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer given on 6 December 2011, Official Report, column 190W. The Department received 319 responses to the consultation. The Department has engaged in discussions with the following organisations during the course of this year:
	Association of British Insurers
	Civil Mediation Council
	Forum of Insurance Lawyers
	Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
	Motor Accident Solicitors Society
	The Law Society
	The British Bankers Association
	Citizens Advice
	Her Majesties’ Association of District Judges
	R3 (Association of Business Recovery Professionals)
	Civil Courts Users Association
	Office of Fair Trade
	Shergroup
	The Land Registry
	Centre for Peaceful Solutions & Brent Mediation Centre
	Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
	Law Works Mediation
	National Health Service Litigation Authority
	Medical Protection Society
	Weightmans Solicitors

Departmental Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether any senior staff in (a) his Department and (b) its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are paid by means of payments to a limited company in lieu of a salary; and if he will publish his policy on such payments.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice uses external resources in order to meet skills, capacity and capability shortages. Contractors and interims can be deployed in temporary senior management positions when it has been established that there is no suitable internal resource available. When doing so the Ministry ensures that it receives value for money and complies with procurement legislation, HM Treasury's rules and Cabinet Office Efficiency and Reform Group (ERG) requirements.
	The process for procurement of contractors and interims is via a single managed service provider, Capita Resourcing Limited. Payments are made to this service provider. All resource requests are raised directly with Capita via their online recruitment system called ‘TalentLink’. Capita then act as the single point of contact for the end to end process for handling the contractor procurement. In addition, Capita manage all contractual and second tier supplier relationships, thus achieving cost savings and time-efficiencies.
	Within the Ministry of Justice there are four senior managers (senior civil servants) engaged on an interim basis through Capita. Within its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, there is currently one senior manager engaged on an interim basis through Capita.

Market Testing Evaluation Panels

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what his policy is on the level of profit margin market testing evaluation panels in his Department should allow for private bidders;
	(2)  whether his Department's market testing evaluation panels seek information on the profit margins anticipated by private bidders.

Kenneth Clarke: In running offender services competitions, evaluation panels seek to ensure that bids from potential providers from all sectors will deliver the standards of safety, decency and security set out in the relevant NOMS specifications for that service. Panels also evaluate the cost effectiveness and operational viability of bids in order to ensure that the desired outcomes can be delivered. Bidders were requested for profit as a percentage of their total operating cost for the purposes of the Prisons Competition phase l awarded in March 2010.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to answer the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton of 26 October 2011 with regard to Mrs M Fallows.

Kenneth Clarke: I have now replied.

Personal Injury

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the round table consultation meeting on matters relating to personal injury was postponed; and when he expects the round table to be held.

Jonathan Djanogly: I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer given on 6 December 2011, Official Report, column 194W. The roundtable discussion was postponed as the publication of the Government's response to ‘Solving Disputes in the County Courts’ has been delayed. The meeting will be rescheduled for the new year once the consultation response has been published.

Prisoners' Transfers

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which companies hold contracts with (a) his Department and (b) the National Offender Management Service for escorting prisoners; and how much each such company has received from his Department in each of the last three years.

Kenneth Clarke: All the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) requirements for escorting prisoners are now delivered through the Prison Escort and Custody Services (PECS) contracts.
	The latest PECS contracts were awarded in March 2011 by the MoJ to Serco Wincanton and GEOAmey PECS Ltd. Prior to 29 August 2011 NOMS did receive a separate Inter Prison Transfer (IPT) service which was provided nationally by G4S Care and Justice as well. As part of the improvements and efficiencies introduced by the latest PECS contracts IPT was integrated in to a single PECS service requirement. Consequently, the following data include reference to both PECS and IPT.
	All the financial information requested is provided in the following table, with the new PECS contracts is shown separately, and is based on the MoJ financial year which runs from April to March each year.
	
		
			 Financial year Service period Service Company Contract spend (£) 
			 2011-12 29 August 2011 to 30 November 2011 PECS (new) GEOAmey PECS Ltd 27,925,624 
			 2011-12 29 August 2011 to 30 November 2011 PECS (new) Serco Wincanton 7,485,730 
			 2011-12 1 April 2011 to 28 August 2011 PECS Serco 20,366,242 
			 2011-12 1 April 2011 to 28 August 2011 IPT and PECS G4S (inc. IPT) 31,098,423 
			 2011-12 1 April 2011 to 28 August 2011 PECS Reliance 15,804,567 
			 2010-11 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 PECS Serco 49,720,339 
			 2010-11 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 IPT and PECS G4S (inc. IPT) 74,947,549 
			 2010-11 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 PECS Reliance 38,800,074 
			 2009-10 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 PECS Serco 48,527,479 
			 2009-10 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 IPT and PECS G4S (inc. IPT) 74,126,719 
			 2009-10 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 PECS Reliance 38,758,920 
			 2008-09 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 PECS Serco 45,774,178 
			 2008-09 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 IPT and PECS G4S (inc. IPT) 72,528,513 
			 2008-09 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 PECS Reliance 39,936,130

Prisons: Public Sector

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the public sector bid to operate HM Prison Featherstone 2 was unsuccessful.

Kenneth Clarke: The winning bidder (G4S Care and Justice Services (UK) Limited) submitted a more economically advantageous bid overall than the bid submitted by the public sector. In particular, the winning bidder scored higher overall in relation to non-price criteria, and submitted a lower priced bid over the duration of the contract.

Probation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that his forthcoming proposals for reform of the probation service do not place the public at risk.

Crispin Blunt: The first stage of our work to look at the future shape of probation services in England and Wales is nearing completion. Throughout our work safeguarding public protection has been one of the key criteria when considering any possible reforms.
	We expect to announce our emerging findings early in the new year and will then consult widely.

Work Capability Assessment: Appeals

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the potential cost to the public purse of the introduction of a six day week for HM Courts and Tribunals Service to hear appeals on decisions of the work capability assessment.

Jonathan Djanogly: Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) hears appeals against Department for Work and Pensions decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) (decisions in which the work capability assessment is a key factor) rather than appeals against work capability assessment decisions themselves.
	Saturday sittings are one of a number of measures taken to increase the capacity of the Social Security and Child Support (SSCS) Tribunal in response to the significant and unforecast increase in appeals. Appellants are asked whether they are willing to attend a hearing on a Saturday before their case is listed and the hearing will proceed exactly as it would on a weekday.
	Saturday sittings hear a mixture of case types which prevents analysis specifically for ESA cases. The use of Saturday sittings is at the discretion of local managers and judiciary and therefore a specific budget has not been set aside for it. Between April and October 2011 379 sessions were held on a Saturday, which disposed of 1,848 cases. Based on the average cost of an SSCS appeal in 2010-11 of £239 the estimated total cost of these sittings is £0.4 million, although the actual cost of an appeal may be slightly higher on a Saturday as some administrative staff involved will receive overtime payments.
	Total disposals by the SSCS Tribunal in the period between April and October 2011 were 21% up on the same period in 2010, and 66% higher than in the same seven months in 2009. In each of the last 12 months more ESA appeals have been disposed of than were received.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to provide a substantive reply to Question 84642 tabled on 29 November 2011 for named day answer on 5 December 2011.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have now replied to the hon. Member's question.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the backlog of cases in the UK Border Agency, broken down by case type and the number of cases in each category.

Damian Green: The current number of work in progress cases in the UK Border Agency is shown as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Temporary Migration(1, 5, 6) 42,800 
			 Permanent Migration(1, 5, 6) 53,000 
			 Asylum(2, 5) 37,900 
			 Other(3, 4, 5, 6) 16,400 
		
	
	The number of applications over the last six months were:
	
		
			  Number 
			 Temporary Migration(5, 6) 105,700 
			 Permanent Migration(5, 6) 147,300 
			 Asylum(5, 7) 9,900 
			 (1) Figures were produced on 4 November 2011. (2) Asylum cases also known as the asylum WiP was published on the HM Government website in August 2011 http://data.gov.uk/dataset/asylum-performance-framework (3) Figures were produced on 7 November 2011. (4) Includes cases from case assurance and audit unit (CAAU). (5) All figures rounded to the nearest hundred. (6) With the exception of Asylum all figures quoted are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. (7) Asylum application figures are management information which has been subject to internal quality checks. 
		
	
	No ‘Other' cases were received within the last six months.

Civil Disorder

Malcolm Wicks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for compensation under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 arising from the civil disorder of August 2011 have been settled in each borough in Greater London; and what the total amount of compensation was in each case, at the latest date for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold the detail on the number or value of claims made specifically by individual boroughs of the Metropolitan Police Service.

Closed Circuit Television

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations she has received from police authorities on the decision by some local authorities to cease or reduce funding for the operation of CCTV; and what assessment her Department has made of any potential effect on the prevention and detection of crime.

James Brokenshire: No such representations have been received. The provision and deployment of CCTV by local authorities is a matter for them to assess in the light of local need and resources available.

Criminal Investigations: Care Homes

John Denham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many care homes in (a) Hampshire and (b) Southampton have been subject to police investigations in the last two years.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Departmental Manpower

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were employed in the Liverpool offices of the (a) Criminal Records Bureau, (b) Identity and Passport Service and (c) United Kingdom Border Agency in 2010; and how many such people she expect to employ in 2015.

Damian Green: Table 1 following includes workforce figures for 2010 (as at 31 December 2010) using Office for National Statistics guidelines for workforce management reporting.
	
		
			 Table 1: People employed in Liverpool on 31 December 2010 
			 Department HC FTE HC 
			 Criminal Records Bureau 605.13 648 
			 Identity and Passport Service 363.57 398 
			 United Kingdom Border Agency 1,710.88 1,853 
			 Grand total 2,679.57 2,899 
			 Note: Includes all permanent and paid civil servants as per ONS reporting guidelines. Extract Date: 31 December 2010 Source: Data View, the Home Office's single source of monthly Human Resources data. 
		
	
	Home Office workforce plans are designed to be flexible to best support evolving business priorities throughout the spending review period and to be affordable within the Home Office's spending review settlement. It is not possible to forecast the number of people who will be employed in Liverpool in Criminal Records Bureau, Identity and Passport Service and United Kingdom Border Agency in 2015, as this falls into the next spending review period and workforce plans have not yet been drawn-up.

Departmental Responsibilities

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at how many events organised by (a) charities, (b) other civil society groups, (c) businesses and (d) lobbying organisations Ministers and senior officials in her Department have given speeches in each month since May 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: This information is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

Detainees: Children

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children under 16 years are being held in detention for immigration purposes; and how many were being held in (a) May 2011, (b) January 2011 and (c) June 2010.

Damian Green: The latest published management information for the number of children under 16 years of age entering detention, held solely under Immigration Act powers in immigration removal centres, short term holding facilities and pre-departure accommodation at Cedars is six in October 2011; seven in May 2011; two in January 2011 and 26 in June 2010.
	This information is a subset of published data that correspond closest to the dates requested. These figures exclude those detained in police cells, Prison Service establishments and short-term holding rooms at ports and airports (for less than 24 hours), those recorded as detained under both criminal and immigration powers and their dependants. They may include age disputed cases. Cedars pre-departure accommodation for families opened on 17 August 2011.
	Information on numbers of children entering detention is published monthly and is available from the Home Office Science, Research and Statistics web pages at:
	http://homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
	A copy of the latest month has been placed in the Library of the House. November 2011 figures will be available on 29 December 2011.
	Information on children detained under immigration Act powers, on any single day, is only published for the last day of each quarter. This information is available from the same web site and from the Library of the House. Figures for those detained on 30 September 2011 have been published on 24 November 2011.

Drugs Testing

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her Department's policy is on mandatory drugs testing for its staff.

Damian Green: The Home Office does not have mandatory drug testing arrangements in place for its staff.

Extradition: Russia

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has any plans to review the operation of extradition arrangements between the UK and Russia.

Damian Green: The UK keeps its extradition relations with other countries under constant review. As the UK and Russia are both members of the Council of Europe, extradition between our two countries is governed by the 1957 Council of Europe Convention on Extradition. There are currently no plans to review this Convention.

Forensic Science

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she considers crime scene investigators to be front line staff.

Nick Herbert: In its report Demanding Times, published in March 2011, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) defined and categorised police roles. The report can be found at:
	www.hmic.gov.uk

Forensic Science

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to safeguard the services provided by crime scene investigators; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: Decisions about the deployment of police resources, including crime scene investigators, are a matter for chief constables to take locally in conjunction with their police authority and, from November 2012, their police and crime commissioner.

Human Trafficking Ministerial Group

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on human trafficking has met since May 2010; who its members are; and which members attended each such meeting.

Damian Green: The Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group on human trafficking met on 17 February 2011 and 11 October 2011. A list of members and attendees for each meeting is provided in the following list:
	Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group (IDMG) on human trafficking — ministerial-level meeting attendees and non-attending members
	17 February 2011 meeting:
	Attendees:
	Damian Green MP, Minister for Immigration (Chair)
	Lynne Featherstone MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Equalities and Criminal Information
	Edward Garnier MP, Solicitor General
	Crispin Blunt MP, Minister for Justice
	Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Scottish Government (by video link)
	Apologies:
	Anne Milton MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health(1)
	Jeremy Browne MP, Minister of State, FCO(1)
	Tim Loughton MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families
	Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communities
	Baroness Wilcox, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for BIS
	Lord Freud, Minister for Welfare Reform
	David Ford MLA, Northern Ireland Executive(1)
	Gwenda Thomas AM, Welsh Assembly Government
	Stephen O'Brien, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development(1)
	11 October 2011 meeting
	Attendees:
	Damian Green MP, Minister for Immigration (Chair)
	Lord Wallace of Tankerness, Advocate General for Scotland (representing Ministry of Justice)
	Baroness Hanham, Department of Communities and Local Government
	Jeremy Browne, FCO
	David Jones, Wales Office
	Stephen O'Brien, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development
	Apologies:
	Edward Garnier, Solicitor General(1)
	Tim Loughton, Department for Education(1)
	Crispin Blunt, Ministry of Justice
	Anne Milton MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Public Health
	Michael Moore, Scotland Office
	Baroness Wilcox, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for BIS
	Lord Freud, Department for Work and Pensions
	Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Scottish Government(1)
	David Ford MLA, Northern Ireland Executive(1)
	Carl Sargeant, Welsh Assembly Government(1)
	Lynne Featherstone, Government Equalities Office (GEO)
	(1) Indicates official-level deputies present at the meeting

Immigrants: Citizenship

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants to the UK have successfully applied for UK citizenship in each of the last 10 years; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The available statistics are given in the following table. It is not possible to identify separately grants of British citizenship made to migrants as opposed to those that are UK born within the published data.
	The number of applications for and grants of British citizenship has risen significantly since the mid-1990s. This increase is likely, in part, to reflect increased grants of settlement over the same period to non-European economic area nationals—after a period of residence those granted settlement become eligible to apply for citizenship.
	The latest Home Office immigration statistics on persons granted British citizenship, from which the data in this reply are derived, are given in table ‘cz.02’ of the statistical release ‘Immigration Statistics July-September 2011’. This publication is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science web site at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q3-2011/
	
		
			 British citizenship grants by general category 
			  All grants Naturalisation based on residence Naturalisation based on marriage Registration of minor children related to a British citizen on a discretionary basis Registration on other grounds 
			 2001 90,282 39,498 28,618 21,239 927 
			 2002 120,121 57,595 34,414 26,319 1,793 
			 2003 130,535 54,967 36,757 35,344 3,467 
			 2004 148,273 64,103 40,406 38,415 5,349 
			 2005 161,699 77,334 34,496 41,641 8,228 
			 2006 154,018 77,080 27,587 42,447 6,904 
			 2007 164,637 87,785 30,423 40,534 5,895 
			 2008 129,377 65,713 29,075 30,832 3,757 
			 2009 203,789 99,474 52,627 47,814 3,874 
			 2010 195,046 93,681 47,028 48,611 5,726 
			 Notes: 1. Data for 2010 are provisional figures. 2. Data presented relate to number of persons. Cases dealt with in the United Kingdom. 3. Grants: A positive outcome of an application for British citizenship prior to attending a citizenship ceremony by applicants over 18 years of age. 4. ‘Decisions taken to grant’ from November 2001 include grants of British citizenship in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man. 5. Marriage includes civil partnership introduced from 5 December 2005. 6. Minor children: children under 18 years of age. 7. Other includes British Overseas Territories citizens from Gibraltar registered as British citizens under s.5 of the British Nationality Act 1981. Source: Home Office, Migration Statistics.

Immigrants: Detainees

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the detention data tables Immigration Statistics April-June 2011 table dt.07.q, whether any of the 74 individuals detained for more than 24 months 
	(1)  is appealing against (a) their detention and (b) their removal from the UK on human rights grounds;
	(2)  has an appeal case against their (a) detention and (b) removal from the UK lodged with (i) a domestic court and (ii) the European Court of Human Rights.

Damian Green: The following table sets out the total length of stay in the UK of the 74 individuals detained for more than 24 months referred to in the Immigration Statistics April to June 2011.
	
		
			 Length of time (in years) in the UK based on first application raised Number of individuals 
			 3 7 
			 4 7 
			 5 13 
			 6 5 
			 7 6 
			 8 10 
			 9 7 
			 10 4 
			 11 5 
			 12 3 
			 13 1 
			 14 1 
			 15 1 
			 17 2 
			 18 1 
			 20 1 
		
	
	The following table sets out the reasons why the 74 individuals detained for more than 24 months referred to in the Immigration Statistics April to June 2011 had not been removed from the UK. As the table shows, five of the individuals have now been removed from the UK. This information is taken from internal management information and is subject to change.
	
		
			 Barriers to removal Number of individuals 
			 Travel document 39 
			 Appeals 6 
			 Children issues 1 
			 Country situation 1 
			 Nationality not confirmed 1 
			 Judicial review 15 
			 Awaiting removal: multiple barriers 4 
			 Rule 39(1) 2 
			 Removed 5 
			 (1) This is a request to the European court of human rights (under rule 39) that an applicant should not be removed from the UK. 
		
	
	Of the 74 individuals detained for more than 24 months referred to in the Immigration Statistics April to June 2011, 53 lodged an appeal against their deportation. In addition to this:
	29 individuals submitted a judicial review (JR) against unlawful detention.
	five submitted a JR on HR grounds.
	five submitted a JR against unlawful detention and on HR grounds.
	To determine in which court those of the 74 individuals detained for more than 24 months referred to in the Immigration Statistics April to June 2011 have lodged an appeal against detention or removal would require the examination of individual case files which would incur a disproportionate cost.

Immigration Controls

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people she expected to enter the UK through ports operating the pilot scheme of reduced checks at border control points during the pilot scheme.

Damian Green: There were 20.2 million passenger arrivals to the United Kingdom during the first quarter (January to March) of 2011 of which 2.4 million were non-EEA nationals, 11.2 million were British citizens and 6.5 million were from other EEA countries and Switzerland. These figures are numbers of journeys and include passengers in transit who do not pass through immigration controls.
	Further information relating to the second quarter (April to June) of 2011 was published on 24 November 2011 in the Home Office Science publication, ‘Immigration Statistics July to September 2011’, and the third quarter will be published on 23 February 2012. These data will be available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/

Immigration Controls

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to reform the sponsorship rules for family migration.

Damian Green: The family migration consultation closed on 6 October 2011. It proposed new measures to tackle abuse, promote integration and reduce burdens on the taxpayer. The Government are considering the responses to the consultation and will publish their response in due course.

Immigration Controls

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which border control checks were suspended on (a) 30 June 2011 and (b) 30 November 2011; whether those suspensions had ministerial approval; and when any such approval was given.

Damian Green: In advance of industrial action on 30 June and 30 November an operating protocol was authorised by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The protocol ensured that appropriate immigration and customs checks were conducted on all passengers arriving at UK ports and airports during the period of industrial action.

Immigration Controls: Cyclamen Machines

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) ports and (b) airports did not operate cyclamen machines on 30 November 2011.

Damian Green: Cyclamen remained operational on 30 November 2011 at all ports and airports where fixed equipment is installed. Screening was undertaken following standard operating procedures.

Members: Correspondence

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letters from the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling dated 26 January, 17 May and 8 July 2011 regarding correspondence received from Mr F. G. Thurygill.

James Brokenshire: A response was sent on 15 December 2011.

Police

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have opted to use (a) trauma risk management and (b) applied suicide intervention skills training; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: This information is not held centrally.

Police: Accountability

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the cost of introducing police commissioners in Wales; and how much of such costs is attributable to (a) commissioners' pay, (b) staffing costs and (c) other costs.

Nick Herbert: I have previously laid before Parliament the recommendations of the Senior Salaries Review Body in respect of the salaries for police and crime commissioners (PCCs), including the PCCs of the four Welsh forces; my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and I are currently considering these recommendations and will provide our response to the report in the near future. Once elected it will be for each PCC to determine the cost of their staff and publicly account for all costs of their office. The total estimated day-to-day costs of PCCs in Wales are not expected to be any higher than the current costs of police authorities in the area.

Union of Good

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the US Government on the Union of Good; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of international partners, as well as organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Windsor Review of Police Officers

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what (a) representations she has received and (b) discussions she has had with the Police Federation of England and Wales on the Windsor Review of Police Officers' and Staff Remuneration and Conditions; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: The Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions is in two parts. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department referred recommendations about police officers' pay and conditions from part 1 of the review to the police negotiating machinery and that process is ongoing. We will consider the outcome of that process carefully before any decisions are made as to the implementation of Tom Winsor's recommendations. Part 2 of the review is due to report in January.
	Ministers meet and engage regularly with the Police Federation.